How Many Minutes in Twenty Years?
by mysterywriter94
Summary: EDIT: Fang has left...he left me, he left the flock, but mostly me. When he returns, he's going to be in for a whole lot of trouble...POST-FANG, rated T for self-harming and other stuff
1. He is Gone

"No…" I gasped, the letter falling to the floor. I felt frozen. I couldn't move. Or could I? I forced my numb legs to move, and my arms to reach for the doorknob behind me. His presence was everywhere. I just _had_ to do this…I took my ring and clenched it in my fist, watched myself throw it out a window in frustration…and so many emotions I didn't know I was capable of having. I thought I heard someone faintly complain of something landing on their head. _Mom_, I thought. I heard footsteps heading in my direction, and I spun to see…Ella.

"Are you all right?" she asked, carefully approaching me.

"Just great, never better," I lied. "I was just in…that room over there," I explained, refusing to say his name.

"You mean Fang's room?" she inquired, a smile of amusement springing up on her face. The throbbing emptiness somewhere in my chest split open my now torn heart. I gasped, trying to compose myself. Something in my face must have given me away.

"Are you sure you're okay? Mom says a ring landed on her head. It looks like the one that Fang gave you not too long ago," I winced at the mention of him again. I struggled to pull together a smile. I nodded, not trusting my voice at the moment. I muttered to my half sister that I was tired. I turned away and walked into my room, shutting the door behind me. I crawled into bed and pulled the covers over my head. Maybe this was all just a dream.


	2. Nightmare and Broken Nose

**Disclaimer: Sorry I didn't have one in Chapter 1, but my computer screwed up on me. Anyway…don't own Maximum Ride. But I do own this penny I just found! XD**

_Day one without Fang- Ella's POV_

"Who wants to be on Max Watch tonight?" Iggy asked, taking out a pan from the kitchen. I quietly took my place at the table and waited for him to make breakfast so I could go to school.

"Max Watch? Do we need to be worried about her yet?" I mumbled sleepily.

"I'm just trying to stay on top of things now that he's gone," Iggy replied innocently. I sighed, and decided to just grab an apple on my way out.

"I'm going to school, Mom" I called. "Tell TotaI said bye, okay?" I heard a faint assent from the living room as I walked out the front door. Dylan was waiting for me in the car, the door already opened for me.

"Where's Max" he asked.

"Everything isn't about Max, you know," I snapped. He sighed and started the engine.

**At school…**

Max and I had second period gym together, so I knew I was guaranteed to see her whether she liked it or not. I found her in the locker room, turned away from me. Her back was slightly bent over, and she was in her P.E. uniform. She seemed to be staring in shock at something on the floor. I stood on my tiptoes and leaned around her to see a shiny black feather.

"Max…that isn't his," I whispered. There was no purple shine to its tip, which was how I knew. Max didn't move. I picked up the feather and threw it away. I heard her let out a breath the second it was out of sight. I pulled her along to the gym.

**After school…**

"Cookies for everyone!" Mom called out cheerily, setting the plate on the counter. Everyone stormed into the kitchen for their fill of chocolate chip cookies. Guess who hung back? Yep. The second Max came home she stomped into her bedroom and slammed the door shut. Dylan followed her, of course.

"Go away!" she screamed at him. Dylan knocked lightly, persistent.

"Come on, you can't be upset about this forever," he protested.

"It hasn't even been twenty four hours. Give her some time, man," Gazzy said through a mouthful of cookies. I wasn't in the mood for a sugary snack, so I went into my room to do my homework.

_Nighttime- Max's POV_

I really didn't want to go to sleep, so I stayed up half the night watching a horror/ sci-fi flick. My eyes began to droop halfway through. Before I knew it…I had fallen asleep.

_I wandered through the house, opening every door and cabinet I could find. Where is he? Fang is hiding somewhere, I just knew it. I heard a ding behind me. I had a message on the computer._

_**Stop looking for me, Max. I'm not coming back. Nineteen years, three hundred sixty-four days left to go. I mean it.**_

_**-Fang**_

_I gasped, refusing to believe. No! He said he'd be here, right? I ran down the hall and into his room, flopping onto his bed. There lay the note, in perfect condition. I tore it up into minuscule pieces and threw them out the window. I blinked, and the note reappeared, good as new._

"_No! Fang, you can't leave me!" I shrieked into the silence. I launched myself out the window and took off into the dark night which was brighter than my heart. I poured on the speed, heading for the one place I knew to find him. That cliff…the hawks. He has to be there. He promised. When I got there, the place was empty. There was no holding back my reaction. I just couldn't bear it any longer._

"NOOOOO! FANG! PLEASE COME BACK!" I half screamed, half sobbed. My shriek was so loud that it tore at my throat and woke everyone up. Great, now they knew what I was really feeling. The first voice I heard was Mom's, soothing and sympathetic. Then Ella's, worried and exhausted. Nudge and Angel were next to calm me, comforting and familiar. Iggy was the only one who remained silent, so much like…_him_. I came to my senses eventually, opening my eyes and hesitantly looking at my family.

"Told you we needed Max Watch," he muttered, leaving the room. Dylan was there, of course, stroking my hair and whispering words of comfort. I ignored him.

"Sorry I woke you up," I mumbled. "You can leave now so I can try to get some sleep," Nobody moved, of course. Dylan fiercely stared me in the eyes, turquoise and brown. I suddenly found myself unable to find something to say.

"I-I…well, Dylan can stay," I stammered without thinking. He smiled, and waved for the others to leave. They obeyed at once.

"I knew you'd choose me," he said, practically smirking. He leaned in toward me, his lips pursed hopefully. I was still so hypnotized by his limitless sky colored eyes that I responded without a second thought.

**Nice, you are following your destiny,** the Voice approved. I ignored it. I just stopped thinking and…let myself go. When I got to pull myself away, that was when I acted. I slapped Dylan across the face with all the force I had. He spun around and landed on the floor, clutching his nose.

"You broke my nose, idiot!" he growled in a muffled voice.

**A/N: Ha, got you for a minute there! You actually thought Max was going to enjoy it for real didn't you? Admit it…I had you fooled. For probably two seconds, but I still did. Enough chatter from me.**

"Sorry, was I supposed to _enjoy_ that?" I sneered. He crawled out of the room on his hands and knees, groaning. And this was the guy that fights like a machine, may I remind you. What a wimp of an Avian American. I sighed and closed my eyes, trying to think of nothing at all. I was asleep in seconds.


	3. Flashback

_Day Seven without Fang- Angel's POV_

"I'll watch her tonight," I offered after dinner. Nobody paid any attention to me, so I knew this was my chance to redeem myself once and for all. Max was in her room as usual. Her back was facing me, and she was sitting at a desk.

"I'm so sorry about what I said in Africa. I should've explained myself better. You need to understand, I was listening to my Voice too, and I thought I was doing the right thing. Seriously, it said I was. Unless my Voice was wrong…which it probably was. I wish more than anything I could take back everything I said and did if that is what it would take to make Fang come back. Oops, I forgot you don't like to hear or say his name anymore. I'll try to remember, for you. You know that I would, right? Right, Max? Right…Max? Maximum! Maximum Ride! Why aren't you answering me? Hello? Hello? I'm over here! Turn around when I'm speaking to you! Wait a minute, what are you doing?" I saw a flash of something shiny, too bright for fabric or feathers…_a knife_. Without thinking, I dashed up and smacked the knife out of her hand, sending it flying out under the crack of the door and into the wall out in the hallway. Blood steadily dripped onto the floor, and Max's head snapped up in shock. This was truly the first time I've ever attacked her, willingly. I stared her down.

"If I ever find you doing that again, Fang will be less likely to come back," I said, sympathy draining from my system and draining onto the floor. I spun on my heel and left the room, picking up the knife on my way out.

**Max Watch~ Angel's Shift 7 p.m. to 7:30**

**Next Shift- Gazzy, 7:30-8:00**

_The Next Afternoon. . .Max's POV_

Ella stopped by my room with some lunch, looking all smiles and happiness. But I could see it was a charade, and underneath her tight face I could see all the pain in me echoed in those eyes. She was trying hard not to upset me. But, I had some resolve left not to show any of that, so I painfully smiled back so that she could see I was trying too.

"Max, I thought you might be hungry," she said, setting the tray on the desk. Her eyes drifted to my mostly healed wrist momentarily before flickering back up to my face. "Mom made grilled cheese for everyone, and this is what was left. I have to go do my homework, so…I'll leave you here," Before she even took a step, I spoke.

"No, you can stay," I whispered. "I'll behave myself. Bird kid's honor," I held up my right hand, smiling more genuinely this time. Ella almost burst out laughing, but she knew this was no time for fooling around, so she instead just sat on the floor next to me. She sighed, saying nothing, waiting for me to start the real talking. I didn't say anything either, because there was nothing to tell. Everyone thinks I cut myself, when the knife just slipped in my grip. True, I _did_ feel better, with that blood flowing freely out of the cut. But it was an accident. Nobody else besides Angel believes me. That included Dylan. He ordered everyone to keep anything sharp and pointy away from me. That kid has been quite a puzzle lately. Some days, when I truly hate _him_ for leaving, he doesn't seem like such a bad second choice. Then I'd come to my senses and stay faithful to my other. I thought back to the day we had been put in the same room together, wondering if I had loved him, even then…

**Flashback- Seven Years Ago**

"_Get in there," the white coat barked, slamming the door shut so loudly I flinched with fear. The new kid scrambled into his cage, shutting the door behind him. I peeked through my fingers to see…a young boy. I had seen him around before. He used to talk a lot, like that girl Nudge, but not nearly as much. But after this experiment, he didn't seem to want to talk anymore. I held out my hand. That was when I remembered his name. Fang. He gave it to himself after that first incident in the lab with that rat attacking him. He hesitated at first, and then slowly reached out to take my waiting hand._

"_Tell me what happened," I said firmly, looking into his dark eyes. "What did they do to you?"_

"_Something with my mind," it sounded like he mumbled._

"_Go on," I said, tightening my hold on him._

"_They told me that-" The door opened. They wanted me now. I pulled my hand back and shrank into the shadows slightly._

"_Whatever you do, don't believe a word they say!" he shouted just before I was dragged off to who knows where. And I listened to him, without really knowing why. Hours later it seemed, I was placed back in my assigned crate. Fang was still there, fast asleep. I wondered what he was about to tell me that was so important._

_I never got another chance to ask._

I gasped in surprise. It didn't hurt so much to remember the early times, when our relationship was so simple and uncomplicated.

"What is it, Max?" Ella asked, looking at me with concern.

"I was…just thinking of something," I said slowly. "The day we were in the same room. I was trying to come up with why he was always so silent. And whatever they did to him that day had to have been the reason." I didn't have to say anything more for Ella to know who I was talking about.

"Huh." Isn't my half sister so intelligent? And that was the end of that. Ella made me take a personality quiz she wrote herself.

"Question number one: Two guys ask you to the dance and you can't decide who to let down. One has had a secret crush on you for a long time, and the other just wants to make him jealous. Who do you choose?"

_Fang or Dylan?_ I thought. Before Fang left, I would have said his name right away, but now…no! Stop thinking about him, Max! He's gone!

"The first one," I answered. "Next question." I took a bite of my sandwich.

After twenty minutes of this, Ella totaled up the score and wrote down the results before handing them to me:

_Mostly A's- You're true to your lover, and he is true to you. The both of you are meant to be, no matter what destiny people say you have._

_**Mostly A's and B's- For a time, you two were in synch. Then complications occurred…**_

_Mostly C's- There is absolutely no hope._

She darkened the one that applied to my results, and glanced at Dylan pointedly, who had just come into the room to see what the noise was about. He smiled when I looked at him, but I didn't smile back. Though his God-like face was certainly something to look at, there was just no way that I was meant to fall in love with him and forget…the other one. My life was not going to come together like that. No matter how many times that jerk kissed me, it would mean about as much as Jeb saying he loved me. Empty words that I could easily ignore and look around like a physical obstacle.

"Max, let's have a tal-" I cut him off with a look. Why should I have a "talk" with him? I'd rather jump off a cliff, wings tied, before we had the "talk" he was thinking about right now. I was getting along just fine on my own. I don't need any _support_ from anybody. I'm the Invincible Maximum Ride.


	4. Desperation

**Who said anything about owning this series? Stop making untrue assumptions…Though I am flattered at whoever thought that. –blushes-**

**Dylan's POV**

"Let's play Halo for a bit," Gazzy suggested. I nodded in agreement. I could do with a stress reliever. The Xbox 360 sure had its advantages. We started the game with choosing teams, logging in, the usual. Iggy listened to our friendly banter between the other players who were online. Max wasn't in her room, for once, but had stayed after school for some consoling program Dr. M had signed her up for. It had only been a couple weeks since that jerk packed up and left and life had never been better. The flock was holding up fairly well. Iggy had taken over as second-in-command. More like leader since Max is continually indisposed. She's the one being cared for now. Honestly, when was the last time she even smiled? I seriously feel bad for her, but how do I get her to open up? I frowned as I stared at the screen. This game was so easy that I didn't even have to concentrate on it.

"Yeah, I won this time," Gazzy cheered after a long silence. I sighed and headed into Max's room. I flopped face first onto her bed, inhaling her scent, which was more intoxicating than any perfume. How do I get her to open up? How do I get her to…I ran into Fang's room and grabbed his secret journal I had seen him hide once. I ripped it open to find what I was looking for:

**Secrets about Max: How to Get Her to Open Up Her Heart**

Perfect. I smiled.

**Max's POV**

"Good, now we can move along like nothing happened," I joked, opening the door. "If he really is dead, no need to worry, right?" My voice got higher with each word, and the smile on my face felt fake. Just a few more minutes like this, and then I can escape. They don't need to know what I'm really thinking…I stumbled into my room, slamming the door behind me. The knife sat there waiting for me. I sliced again, and again, only vaguely aware of the letters I was forming in my left arm…**C O…**I wanted to stop, but the _pain…_The next thing I knew, I was lying on the floor. Did I pass out? I must have, for I felt stiff, as if I had been there for some time. I was surrounded in my blood, and I felt dizzy still. I have to be more careful, in control. I can't let that happen again.

**A/N: Oooh, angstyness! That's not even a word. What do the letters mean? What is Dylan planning? I'd end it here, but that would meant the chapter would be too short. Kay, I am in need of some feedback, so if you can think of something Dylan does to win Max's heart(you Mylan fans out there…) that would be great. I'm not revealing whether they end up together or not, or if Fang even returns. I'm not **_**that**_** nice. Anyway…here we go, again…**

**Ella's POV**

I heard the slam of Max's bedroom door and I sighed. It had been two weeks, wasn't that long enough for her to recover? Nudge ran up to me with her newest fashion design.

"I drew an outfit for Max, what do you think?" she asked sweetly, holding up the drawing. I observed it for several minutes. It was a black mini skirt combined with purple leggings and a white tee shirt. It didn't look like something she'd wear at all, but I could still imagine her wearing it. Which was weird.

"Looks good," I said, heading into Iggy's room to do my usual thing. Everyone thinks I spend too much time in there. I only go in there once…or twice…maybe three times a day. I don't know! I just make sure everything is cleared so he doesn't trip over anything is all. And maaaybe once I smelled his pillow. But that was once, okay?

**A/N: Hehe…Ella liiiikes him. Hehehe. Okay, enough commentary from me.**

I'm not saying I _like_ him. I just find him interesting. _No, you like him. Admit it, Ella!_ A small voice in the back of my head whispered. I tried to ignore it. My conscious can be so annoying. This one time, I tried to get away with lying to Mom, but that stupid little voice wouldn't let me. No, I don't have a Voice like Maximum. I have a conscious, duh! Anyway, I never lied again. Guilt is a stupid and useless emotion, you know? Mom went into her bedroom. She seemed distracted. Well, I had homework to think about. I scuffled into my own room and turned on my iHome. "How You Remind Me" by Nickelback started playing, further reminding me of Iggy. Greeat. Now I wouldn't be able to concentrate on my homework. Well, I would try. I took out my math book and turned to today's assignment. Number one. There are twelve dots in the old version of the Braille language, the language of the blind. _Oh, come on!_ I thought, reading the rest of the problem. I worked on it diligently until the song was over. When I had finished my math homework, I mindlessly doodled on my paper until "Bad Romance" by Lady Gaga started playing. When I looked down at my paper again, this is what I saw:

_I love Iggy! I love Iggy! I love Iggy! I love Iggy!_

I quickly scrubbed the words out before anyone could see them. Or not see them, in Iggy's case. Jeez, I need to get a life if I'm constantly thinking about these Avian Americans instead of normal Americans.

**Dr. Martinez POV**

I sighed, my head in my hands. How am I going to tell these kids that everything was about to change, and probably for the worse in Max's case? I _love_ him. There was no avoiding it, or hiding it either. It just…happened, like these things always do. Jeb and I are dating now. So, so sorry that this will end up hurting you more, Max. I wish I could make the pain end for you, but I don't know how. Whatever goes on beyond your locked door…I don't blame you. I understand. I just wish I could help. Your pain-stricken face when you handed over the letter to me is all I can see now. And it hurts me more than I've let on. It hurts me to see you hurt, in so many ways. Which is why, if this news is the last straw on your over-burdened back, I wouldn't be mad in the slightest. Oh, Max…I started sobbing now. Unable to hold back fresh tears, extra despair, I just let go. I wish Max could let go…but I didn't design her that way. Neither did Jeb. That was our only regret. But maybe now we can change things. Jeb insists that Dylan is her soul mate, and now that doesn't seem like a bad idea. He seems nice enough. Better yet, he's _here_, and not flying off in some mysterious location. My sobs abruptly came to a stop when I heard someone in the doorway. Angel? The seven year old looked troubled as she read my thoughts.

"I don't know…Max doesn't want him," she said softly. "She's still in love with Fang. More than you know. That is the only thing holding her back." I nodded, wiping my eyes. I didn't trust my voice just yet.

_What about Jeb? Should I tell her…?_ I thought. Angel closed her eyes, concentrating. After a minute, her familiar blue irises focused back on me.

_Not yet,_ she said finally._ Wait another week or so._ I nodded again, and stood up. Iggy stood there in the background, looking confused. Angel whispered to him what we had just talked about, and he relaxed slightly. But only slightly. I don't think I've ever seen those kids fully relaxed or off their guard. Another thing I wish I could have prevented. I was desperate now. Desperate to help Max. Desperate to tell them about my love for Jeb. Desperately in love.

**Nudge's POV**

"Don't you think this drawing is amazing, Gazzy? Max is going to love this, I know she will!" I gushed, editing my drawing. "Just think, this might help her forget all about Fang! She will love me for this one day, I just know it!" I was being ignored, as usual. Gazzy left to get another snack in the kitchen. Iggy was…who knows where? Max was in her room again. Ella was in her room. Dr. M was in her room, coming out now with Angel. Her eyes were red from crying again. She must be really worried about Max, I thought, observing her creased forehead and pale face. Well, aren't we all? I'm just trying to bring the joy and spirit into the flock again. Heck knows we need a little more of that again. Everyone is always so…serious now. It scares me a little. Well, I'm not letting their down spirits affect me. On the outside, anyway. I've gotta put on a show. Like those models on TV and stuff. I reaaally want to be one of those pretty girls showing off their cars and stuff. I decided to express all this out loud, because it was too quiet.

"I wish I were a model," I said loudly, startling Dr. Martinez and Angel. They weren't used to me being quiet this long. "It looks like a lot of fun, and I can wear cool clothes and stuff," But wanting things wasn't the same without Max there to say _no_, so I just shut up. I went in Angel's room to get some sleep. It had been a very, very long day. I would show Max my drawing tomorrow after school.

**Gazzy's POV**

So, Max is sorta depressed now that Fang's gone for the next couple decades or so. What does someone _do_ about that? Our strongest leader has fallen…That's hard to think about. Two weeks ago I would have thought that was impossible. But now…I can see the pain through her faux cheerfulness. She has been so unlike herself that it's scary. I shook my head and took a bite of my banana. Maybe I'm thinking about it all wrong. Max loved Fang. Fang loved Max. So, of course this would be more than a little upsetting for both of them. I finished my banana and let the peel fall to the floor. Who cares? Ella can clean up. As soon as Max is better, we're out of here anyway. Sure, we love them, but we can't stick around too much longer. As long as Max agrees to my plan, she'll lead me and Angel and the others anywhere. At any time. Iggy lay there listlessly on the couch, sightlessly gazing at the ceiling he will never see. I thought I heard him sigh, but it may have been my imagination. It was almost nine, my bedtime. Angel yawned and headed into her room. Time for me to go to bed too. But first, a shower. Nah, it can wait until tomorrow. What was tomorrow? Thursday? Better go lay out my clothes…I reluctantly shuffled into the room I shared with Iggy. It's going to be a long day tomorrow. When was the last time I even blew up something for real, instead of in a video game? I am starting to miss the smell of smoky chemicals spreading through the room, the look on Max's face when she sees more bombs Iggy had secretly stowed away, the sound of an extremely powerful explosion, the satisfaction of blowing up more Erasers and Flyboys…But that was a past long gone. What am I supposed to do now? I feel lost, now that things aren't the way they're supposed to be. I wish we had stayed in the E house undetected like Max told us to. Where would we be if that happened? It's really something to think about. I wonder if…before I could even think another word, I was dressed and asleep.


	5. Secret Love

**Me: I don't own MR, but I do own Fang at the moment! Mwahahaha!**

**Fang: So not cool, mysterywriter94.**

**Me: Sh! You're supposed to be the silent one! –giggles-**

**Dr. Martinez POV**

_Today's the day,_ I thought excitedly. _I get to tell them that I love him._ _Hopefully, Max will understand. I wonder if I remembered to turn the oven off. Oh yeah, I asked Iggy to do it for me. Oh well, another disaster avoided. Oh, jeez. Tomorrow is payday. What will I do with my new pay raise? I'll figure that out later. Not important. Did Angel invade my closet again? Hopefully Nudge didn't chatter up too much. Oh, who am I kidding? She talks as much as Fang doesn't, I mean didn't…not important either, Valencia! Think of something else! Oh yeah…Gazzy. That kid needs to change his name. Ella. How is she doing? Has she called…? No need to worry._ I did the best I could to keep Max off my mind, but everything reminded me of her pain. Sigh. Looks like I have to talk to her. She's probably going to kill me for doing this, I just know it. But there's no avoiding it. Jeb is coming over today. He might propose one day. We may move away, leaving the kids on their own. So, I have no choice. I have to tell Max first. No avoiding, no hiding, no being ashamed of my love.

"Yeah, let's get this over with," I muttered under my breath. That was when I remembered that they were all at school. Oh. Whoops. They were going to be mad at me for forgetting again…

**Ella's POV**

Five o'clock. Mom was never this late before! She must have a lot on her mind for her to be this forgetful. Like Max, of course. I sighed and sat on the curb. Iggy was there to comfort me. Max was…in the corner again, hiding from everyone. She hadn't said a word all day. She also looked a lot paler. I tried talking to her, but she scarcely said a word to me. Doesn't she know that she's not the only one in pain here? Max really needs to open up. Dylan swooped in, his wings catching the light perfectly. He scooped up Max and flew off. Why did I feel grateful for that? I should be mad, but I'm not. I was suddenly very conscious of Iggy's arm around my shoulder. I blushed.

"Iggy, where is he going with her?" I asked, knowing he heard Max's mumbled protest and Dylan's glorious wings catching the wind.

"I don't know. Angel?" She appeared at once.

"He's taking her somewhere to talk and get her to open up about Fang," She closed her mouth, troubled.

"I sure hope Max doesn't kill him in the process," I remarked. Iggy chuckled. It was the first time I've heard him laugh in ages. I made me want to beam with pleasure, but I just smiled the tiniest bit. Happy emotions were hard to come by these days. His hand was inches for mine. Do I take it? Do I take it? Do I leave it? I froze, trying to think faster than my brain would allow. Finally, his hand twitched toward mine, and I hesitantly placed it there, just a few centimeters closer.

"Angel, when will they be back?" I asked anxiously, scanning the sky. "Mom will be here any minute now," At that moment, I recognized Mom's blue 2002 Ferrari pulling into the car lot. her face was guilty as she rolled down the window to look over at us. At the same time, Max and Dylan flew back over and lightly landed on top of the car. Mom jumped a little at the sudden weight above her. The car wasn't your average four-person vehicle with all the newest GPS features. It was more, so much more. The trunk was extra-large, the place Max preferred to ride in now. Angel and Gazzy squeezed on the back, Nudge and Iggy sat in the middle, and I sat up front with Mom. But now that Dylan had silently decided to live with us, he insisted that he site with Max. Normally I'd think of it as a bad idea, but since Fang is gone, _normally_ wouldn't apply to any situation at the moment. So, we all got in our usual spots, backpacks and all.

"I…am so sorry I forgot to pick you guys up. I'll explain why I've been so flighty and distracted later." She drove off at her usual careful speed. Everything seemed to be going well. Nudge wasn't being as talkative, and only had to be shut up twice on our way to the interstate. Angel and Gasman only fought over the seatbelt arrangements for a minute, a record for them. Iggy was…silent, like Fang. I couldn't hear what was going on in the trunk. I was curious for a moment, then I decided that it was better that I didn't know.

**Dylan's POV**

It was oddly quiet out there. I need noise to mask the plan I had set. Oh, well, they'll find out eventually. I leaned in, starting to make my move.

**Max's POV**

"Hey, thanks for making me come to my senses out there," I said suddenly, startling Dylan. He felt too close to me. I scooted toward the other side. I was starting to get claustrophobic.

"You know what?" Dylan asked.

"Yeah?"

"I think you'll feel better if you talk about it. It'll hurt less. You have to open up, like I said earlier," I could hear the double meaning in his words, and suddenly I guessed his plan in one.

"You want me to...forget him," I said, wincing at the thought. No, no he can't! His breath wafted toward me, very minty from breath mints. I struggled to maintain my focus on him and not…_him_. Gah! Stop it Maximum!

"I…don't want you hurting," he continued, his voice growing closer by the second. "You have to move on," The last words were a whisper, just a breath against my neck. Why wasn't I shocing him off me? I shouldn't be enjoying this. I shouldn't be letting him touch me like this. His lips found my neck, then my chin, and then my nose. I moaned in an unfamiliar pleasure, my thoughts sliding away from me. My brain when _he _and I kiss: . . . My normal brain: oOoOoOo. My brain when Dylan and I kiss: what brain? Why didn't I make this stop? When would we stop? It didn't bother me at all that I didn't have an answer.

"What are you doing?" I whispered raggedly between attacks of desire.

"Making you change your mind, Maximum," He started to tear off my shirt just as the trunk swung open, letting light suddenly flood into the small space.

**A/N: Dun Dun Dun! –grins evilly- R and R enough, and you just may find out if Max is totally busted by Dr. M, or worse…**


	6. Complicated

Chapter 6- Complicated

_Oh crap, I can't believe this is happening!_ Was my final thought before the trunk was completely opened and Mom stood there, staring at Dylan's hand, which was gripped firmly on my slightly ripped shirt, staring at my frazzled hair and flushed face. After thirty seconds of her just standing there, she finally found her voice.

"What…is going on here?" she asked faintly.

"Uh…" I mumbled intelligently, trying to come up with a plan. "Dylan and I were…customizing my tee-shirt. Nudge wanted to see what it would look like with a bunch of holes in it, so I decided to test it out to please her." I babbled on and on a bit, pleased with the improvisation. Thankfully, Mom started to lose interest after the first few words and closed the trunk again. Dylan huffed a sigh in relief after she was gone. The car started up again, but he didn't try to make another move on me. I decided to take this moment to make another cut. It was dark, which made the moment convenient. But it was quiet. I needed noise…then I remembered my iPod. I took it out and played a random song. _My Immortal_ by Evanescence started to play. Suddenly, everything started to fall into perspective. I listened very hard to the lyrics, and understood the message being sent. Isn't that weird? I'm not normally the kind who has the time for average teenage things like music, yet here I am decked out with an iPod singing along with the words.

"You have a beautiful voice, Max." Dylan said. For a second he sounded like…Him. You know. My voice was shaky thorough the bridge and the ending because of his compliment. I was tempted to replay the song, but let it move on to a single by Maroon 5. At this point, my entire arm spelled out half a word. I knew what I was trying to create even as my mind rejected the idea. At this point, it wasn't about the pain. It was al about Him. The car stopped suddenly, causing me to slam into the side of the trunk.

"What was that?" I heard Ella ask.

"I don't know, but we made it home. Go open the trunk, will you?"

A second later I was climbing out of the trunk and headed straight to my room with my backpack and iPod.

**Angel's POV**

"So, Angel, what did you get for number seven?" Nudge asked casually as she bent over her math homework in the kitchen. I was so smart that she and I were in the same class. At first everyone made fun of me because I'm only seven but when they realized how smart I was I even ended up tutoring eighth graders.

"I got x is twelve. What about you?" Nudge paused for a moment, squinting at her own messy scrawl.

"Negative five," she said proudly. "Is that right? I checked my math and everything; I could've sworn that-"

"It's wrong," I interrupted. "Let me see what you did…" I took her paper and examined it. After a second I handed it back.

"What did I do wrong?" she asked, pouting.

"You were supposed to multiply the x by two, not divide," I said absently, finishing up my own homework. Iggy went upstairs to do his Max Watch. The door was locked, of course, but he managed to pick it and have it opened in less than a minute. He shut the door behind him. I turned back to my pile of completed home work and started to put it away. As I zipped up my backpack, Dr. Martinez came in and saw us at the counter. She looked happy, as if something pleased her. I invaded her mind.

_I love Jeb so much_._ I hope we get married someday…Ooh! I wonder if we would have a tropical wedding. Casual wear, I'm hoping, to please Max…_

I felt Nudge staring at me, but I ignored her. I gave her a look as I headed to my room. Total would be back tomorrow from his honeymoon with Akila, so I needed to make two separate beds. As I looked out my window, I could just barely see the tiny grave Ella made for her dog Mongolia who passed away not long before Fang's leaving. She drowned in a river trying to save a man who had fallen in. The man survived, however. Lucky him. I erased his mind so he couldn't remember surviving. Max was mad at me, but it was worth it. Nudge came into my room, interrupting my thoughts.

"What was Dr. M thinking?" she whispered, curious.

"She loves Jeb, and wants to marry him,"

Yes, things were complicated. But that's how it has always been. Max would've hated a simple and easy life where all our problems could be solved over night. Nudge stared at me like I said I wanted to remove my wings.

"Are you serious?" she exclaimed. "There's no way we can have him around, not with his shadiness and mistrust! Max would hate that! She'd-she'd…" She burst into tears, not caring who saw her.

"She'd run away," I muttered. "Anything to get Dr. Martinez to see sense," Nudge nodded in agreement as she wiped her tears. I sighed and went over to Fang's old laptop, which now sat on my bed. Max couldn't bear to have it in her presence anymore, so we all drew straws to see who got it. I read Max's mind and saw her intentions to give it to me, so I demanded for her to just cut the crap and hand it over. Of course, saying that made her run into her room. The smallest things would make her do that these days. Dr. Martinez said she'd get over it soon, and would hopefully choose Dylan, since he was actually physically there for her. But I knew what she was planning. She wanted Fang to be back. Not just for her benefit but for everyone. We all love him, even though he's being a bit of a butthead right now by playing with Max's heart.

"So, what are we going to do to put a stop to this?" Nudge asked.


	7. Reality

**A/N: So. We have gotten this far in life and I STILL don't own this effin' series. Well, this sucks.**

Chapter 7- Reality

_A month later_

**COME BACK**

One word left. I almost smiled. Almost. And I knew exactly where to find him. Unfortunately, due to

wandering eyes, my plans had to be put on hold yet again. I was spacing in class again when it happened. My mind snapped. Colors looked too real. Sounds were too loud. Even the desk was suddenly closer to my face. You know what caused it? My Voice.

_**Hello Max. I'm back for a reality check.**_ I choked on my next breath and everything was too real to be unreality. I was in reality. Fang is really gone.

_**That's it…calm down a little. It's not as bad as you're making it out to be.**_

_What makes you think that?_ I thought faintly, trying to come to terms.

_**Watch out, teacher wants to ask you a question. Just say seventeen.**_

_What?_

_**You are in algebra, right?**_

"Max? What is the y value?" the teacher called out.

"Seventeen?" I said hesitantly.

"Well done, Max," he congratulated. After school, I met up with Dylan. He saw the change in my eyes, and managed to smile.

"I see you're recovering," he said brightly, taking my hand in his as we headed for the bus. He did this so often now that I barely noticed. The one thing I never let him do was kiss me. Even though we were dating, no way I was ready for that to happen anytime soon.

"It was my stupid Voice that did it," I grumbled. "It just had to burst my bubble, which I was perfectly happy the way I was before. Everything seems to bright and loud now," Dylan leaned toward my ear. We were sitting now, waiting for the bus to start.

"Am I too loud now?" He murmured, his lips brushing my hair.

"No," I breathed, my heart racing. After two weeks of no romance action, I finally let him kiss me. Reality can be pretty good sometimes. My fingers remained crossed behind my back for another hazy period of blocking out pain and regret. Life was just easier then when I didn't have to pay attention. We finally arrived home. Dylan unlocked the door for me and turned on the light. He was the one who saw it first. I was in a second later. My jaw dropped. My eyes bugged. I couldn't breathe. Mom was making out with Jeb in the living room. Suddenly, reality wasn't being so good to me anymore. I ran up to my room and slammed the door shut. I cried my eyes out in the safety and privacy of my bedroom. How could Mom do this to me?

**Iggy's POV**

I listened very hard for the inevitable arrival of Nudge and Angel. They were supposed to guide me to the bus today. It's always in a different spot, which made it hard to find on my own. I heard a thud to my right.

"Hey, Jeff. What's up?" It was a classmate from science class. Dexter.

"Hi, Dexter. Have you seen Tiffany-Krystal and Ariel?"

"No. Sorry. Listen, I was going to ask you something about the homework for tomorrow…were we supposed to make an atom model?" I shrugged.

"I have no idea…my assignments are adapted differently because I'm blind," I responded.

"Well…I'll just go ask Teresa, then," he said. "See you later," I grimaced at the expression.

"Sorry," he muttered. "Forgot."

"Everyone forgets…" I mumbled. I heard Nudge's chatter coming from a distance to my left. They are here.

"Jeff, come on!" Angel yelled. "The bus is this way!" I followed their voices without difficulty. At least I didn't have to use a cane and look stupid in front of everybody. The others were always there to look after me. Everyone minus Fang. And sort of Max. The thought just made my mood worse as I climbed up into my seat. Even without Fang to distract her we were still two bird people down. I didn't count Dylan as part of the team since he didn't grow up with us. I took out my iPod and chose a song at random letting it be the only sound I heard the whole way home.

**Gazzy's POV**

I was on my fourth cookie when it happened. Dr. M and Jeb came out together, laughing about some stupid joke. The cookie was in my mouth when they kissed. Suddenly I wasn't so hungry anymore.

"Jeb? What are you doing here?" I asked through a mouthful of cookie. I sprayed crumbs everywhere, but he pretended not to notice.

"I'm here to see Valencia," he replied, staring at his apparently new lover. "She and I are getting married!" I choked on my chocolate chip cookie. I had to gulp down the last of my milk before I could breathe again.

"That's great," I said unenthusiastically. "Have you told Max?" They looked at each other.

"Well…" Dr. Martinez glanced at the stairs. "You might not want to be up there in case the fireworks go off soon," I followed her gaze. It was unusually quiet…what was Max doing? Just then, Iggy, Angel and Nudge came home. They instantly took over the kitchen to find something to eat and somehow did not notice Jeb until Angel alerted Iggy and Nudge. I dashed out of the room and into the rec room to get away. I did _not_ want to be in there when Angel gets into action around Jeb.

**Max's POV**

I never found myself capable to cry so much. The tears didn't seem to want to stop. How long has it been? Ten, fifteen minutes? Mom betrayed me right as I began to trust her. There was a knock on my door.

"Max? It's my turn to watch you," It was Ella. She trusted my betrayer. What did that make her, then?

"Go away!" I yelled, my throat sounding incredibly sore and scratchy.

"Please let me in," she begged. I considered mutiny for a moment, but realized that was pointless and just unlocked the door. Ella stepped into the room. I kept my face away from her prying eyes.

"You know Mom is marrying Jeb, right?" she said. I said nothing. "Well, she is. There's no getting around it. I wish she would've told us sooner that she was dating him, but it's too late now. We're just going to have to accept it. I know he betrayed you, and made you confused, but that's all in the past now and you need to let go of that and get back to reality. They love each other." I tried not to listen to the words, but she was right.

"Not fair," I whimpered pathetically. I buried my face into my pillow. It had been almost a month since Ella had seen my face in full view.

"Max, look at me,"

"I don't want to," I told the pillow.

"Please,"

"No,"

"I just want to see your face,"

"No,"

"Why not?"

"I don't want you to,"

I knew I was being ridiculous, but imagining Ella's expression was starting to make me feel better. I started snickering. It was soft, but audible.

"You're acting like a child," Ella said.

"So?" I laughed harder. Something I hadn't done in a while. I finally lifted my head and didn't care anymore if my face was a mess. I would show her what I was feeling. Ella took one glance at my amused expression…and took a step back.

"Max…you're smiling. And laughing," She was so surprised that it made me laugh more. It was like she had never seen me like this before.

"Only because this is funny," I said. That shocked her into a full blown grin. I went downstairs to find something to eat and discovered Angel yelling at Jeb.

"Max said you can't be trusted, so we're all listening to her!" Angel shouted.

"That's right, I said what I said, but maybe we should reconsider for a moment," I interrupted, taking a cookie from the counter. "I mean, sure you screwed up here and there, but you had a reason…this won't be easy for me to say, so I'll only say it once: I…I love you…Dad," I hugged him around the waist. Might as well use these love-dovey type feelings while I still had them in me.


	8. Falling

**Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride? DARN IT!**

Chapter 8- Falling

The Voice was attempting to guide and encourage me to be with Dylan. He was constantly there, by my side in case I needed him for anything. Slowly, I started to ignore him a little less for his benefit. One day sometime in the second month in Fang's absence, he dropped by my room for a study session.

"Hey, Max!" he said cheerfully. "Who ever knew that math could be so hard, right?" I shrugged.

"Have you seen Angel? She seemed to have disappeared around an hour ago," I said, starting on my own homework next to him.

"Out for a fly, I think," he replied absently. Things were oddly quiet. I wondered if Dylan would try kissing me again. I've only allowed minimal romantic action between us, because every time we touched, every time we kissed, my heart broke a little because Fang wouldn't leave my head. He wouldn't leave my heart…though I tried very hard to move on. Suddenly the scars on my arms were starting to stare me in the face again. I left the house, the door slamming behind me. I leapt into the air and took off, leaving home behind me without so much as a goodbye. I flew and flew, not even thinking about anything in particular. My chest hurt so much, yet it felt strangely numb. Why…why wouldn't it go away? I found that cliff, the place he promised he'd be in twenty years. It was empty. Of course it was. Fang was a bird teen of his word, he'd never break a promise even if it meant someone would end up getting hurt in the process. Like me. I landed silently in the dirt and stood there a moment, trying to get my bearings. For some reason, I was strangely calm. Falling off that cliff sounded like a good idea. Maybe…if I cut off my wings, the pain would be relieved. I could live a normal life like I always wanted. But would I still be me? I frowned, examining the cave. No. I'll have to keep my wings. But there had to be another escape. Something that told me he was still here by my side even though I could still feel the aching emptiness. I went into the cave, preparing to find some wild animal that might attack me. Instead, there was a silky black feather lying on the cave floor. Fang. Looking at the feather, I realized this feather was my salvation. As I ran to grab it, the wind picked up and carried the feather away from me, far out of my reach and out into the open air. I sadly watched it float away. How many minutes were in twenty years? How many of those minutes have I already suffered through? There was no way I could survive through another minute, let alone half of the ones required to be able to see him again. Time stretched on. I think the sun set at some point, but I was too deep in my numbness to fully realize when. Slowly feeling started to come back to me, but I wished that for all the homemade cookies in the world that it hadn't. I wrapped my arms around myself and curled on the ground. How long I stayed like that, I had no clue. Time started to have meaning again when I sensed a presence nearby.

"Max?" It was Angel. "Max, what are you doing?" I didn't answer. I didn't think I'd be able to. I was afraid if I so much as moved, my careful and organized control would be broken and I'd be sobbing like a baby all over the place. No. I was stronger than that. I remained on the cave floor, not responding.

"Max…you're starting to scare me," Angel said. "I can't read your mind," Really? I thought what I was thinking was very plain just by the way I wouldn't move off the ground.

_Say something,_ Angel said desperately in my head.

_I can't handle this anymore, Angel…it's too much_

I felt myself being pulled up. I refused to open my eyes and recognize the soothing voice in my ear. But the pain was increasing by the second, the knife went deeper and deeper into my heart…I was forced to accept that I was falling, falling, but who would catch me before I finally reached that dark end? It felt like a very, very long time before I could open my eyes and look around. I was in Mom's room, and Mom was sitting there on the bed with me, stroking my hair and singing softly to me. I realized that I had been screaming and shrieking and crying….something I'd never do willingly.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled, staring at the sheets.

"Max…" she sighed, brushing my hair out of my eyes. The pain had mostly ebbed away to a dull ache, but I knew the slightest reminder of him would send it flaring again full force.

"Can I have a cookie?" I asked in a small voice, looking up at Mom. She smiled a little.

"You can have all the cookies you want, Max," She kissed my forehead and left the room. I sighed and sat up. How was I ever going to survive, if this kept happening to me? The smallest reminder of him sent me spiraling over the edge, and I'd have to start the long climb to moving on all over again. A few minutes later, Ella came in, looking concerned.

"I heard what happened," she said in a solemn voice. "Are you okay Max?"

"I'm…" I wanted to say fine, but the answer was probably obvious in my face. I sighed and decided to be honest for once.

"Not really," I muttered.

"It'll be okay, Max," Ella said, coming over to hug me tightly. I wanted to believe her, I really did. But something was telling me that this was far from over. I looked over her shoulder and saw Dylan standing there. For a second, I saw nothing but Fang in his face. Then I blinked and the dark eyes were gone, replaced by concerned turquoise pools gazing at me. Ella pulled away just as he came in.

"You should've told me you weren't ready to move on yet," he said. "I would have understood. Do you want me to leave?" I thought about that for a moment. Hmm. _Did_ I want him to leave? On the whole, no. He's a huge asset to the flock, being the good fighter he was. But there hasn't been much action around lately. I wondered briefly if Fang was right after all. Was he really the cause of all the danger around us? Was his leaving…for the better? Is Dylan actually my perfect match, and Fang…a mistake? I knew I had to find the answers. And they weren't here.

"I have to go," I blurted, getting off of Mom's bed. I headed for the door, but was stopped by Mom, who was coming in with a plateful of fresh cookies.

"These just came out of the oven, so be careful," Mom instructed, setting the cookies on the end table. "I have to go to the store with Ella, so you have to stay here for now. Just relax and…watch TV or something. I don't want you getting all upset again like…earlier," She winced slightly, and I wondered just how bad my meltdown was to cause her to act like this. I nodded, a plan forming in my mind, because the great Maximum Ride always has a plan. She left the room with Ella. Dylan sat on the bed and grabbed a cookie. He shoved it in his mouth whole and swallowed after just a few chews. I rolled my eyes. Show off. I pulled out my cell phone and started to dial Jeb's number. He picked up on the first ring.

"Hello?"

"I need directions to your place," I said, leaving the room and ignoring Dylan's confused expression. "I have a few questions that need to be answered,"


	9. Destiny Renamed

Chapter 9- Destiny Renamed

Fang quietly watched his surroundings. Nothing but ice and snow. He listened to the roaring wind, and let the cold chill him for just a moment, but no longer. Then he shut out the feeling once again. He knew Max probably hated him for leaving. But now he'd never be able to go back. Especially since the School had finally told him where he belonged, and his true other half. Lissa. She was a mutant like him, only part cat instead of bird.

"Nick," Lissa whined. "I'm getting cold. Aren't you coming inside" He nodded and followed her in. Fang hadn't spoken a word to anyone since he left Max behind. Not even to tell Lissa his real name. Not that it mattered, but he was a little tired of being Nick all the time. Lissa was the only person he had even seen in the past couple months or so. Fang sighed and turned the TV on, starting to get bored. Unfortunately, there was nothing on. He flicked the television off, starting to get annoyed. He drifted off to his bedroom and opened his laptop. Ever since he had let Max, the blog had been getting a lot of negative reviews. He never replied to them. Fang started typing a very generic blog and then opened his email. Some of it was fan mail from those persistent fans that still believed he was doing the right thing for the flock, some was junk mail…but where was the thing he'd been waiting for? Oh yeah. He wasn't waiting for anything at all. What was wrong with him? What would he expect, a letter from Max, saying that she started dating Dylan and had nearly forgotten him in her joy of moving on? Or Nudge, saying that Max had left and she finally started using fewer than five hundred words a minute? He shook his head, clearing it. Why did he keep having stupid thoughts like this? He belonged with Lissa, right? Or was that just another 'test' made up by the white coats just to see him fail? The weeks passed sluggishly. Fang could scarcely tell one day from the next.

One day, Lissa had finally had enough with his long silence, and left him without saying another word. Not that he cared. She was too loud and annoying for him. And now…he could think freely. If the silence never ended, Fang thought he could stay in Antarctica forever. But less than a week after her departure, he left the place, growing tired of the cold. He flew on and on, trying to find a place where he belonged. His birth parents were dead, Lissa was gone, and he hadn't seen a human being in days. Things weren't going very well. Arizona peeked out at him, and he silently landed in a random tree. Wait a minute. What was he doing here? Wasn't this…? Fang shook his head. No way. Why would they want him back He could clearly see Max from where he sat. Her blonde hair shone in the sunlight. She was next to the jerk Dylan.

"Dylan, did you hear something?" Max asked him. Fang stiffened and let himself disappear. Dylan turned and looked straight at him.

"Nope, nothing there," Dylan responded. "Let's go inside, I think Dr. M has dinner waiting,"

"I'll meet you there…I need to check something," He nodded and went indoors. Max squinted up at the tree, a suspicious expression on her face. Fang remained where he was, hardly daring even to breathe. After a minute, she went inside. He sighed, the only noise he ever made now. If he were to do it all over again…would he even escape the School? If it meant Max never had any pain over him? Yes…he would. He'd give up his one chance of freedom for her. Time passed, and soon he took off into the sky again, leaving nothing behind but a black feather. It was like a signature. Every time he wanted Max to know he was there, he'd leave a black feather that was coming loose behind. Feathers were like fingerprints. A black feather on another bird would be completely different from this one, because it wouldn't be his. Fang went to the one place he knew that Max might be one day. The hawk home. That cave that had changed their lives, with Max discovering a true family that didn't run away screaming at the sight of her wings and freakish appetite. Of course, she had to be stupid and reckless first, but still. He couldn't complain about all the awesome meals Dr. Martinez had prepared. Iggy was jealous at first, but then decided to start taking tips from her. No, no! Stop thinking about them! Fang gritted his teeth, fighting tears. He never cried. What was wrong with him? He never showed emotion, and now look. Fang flew and flew and flew until his wings started to get numb from so much flapping. That was when he realized he was only going in circles around the Martinez house. What the heck? He must be obsessed or something.

"Fang?" a voice asked in disbelief. Oh, crap. Dr. Martinez had seen him from the open window! He brought his finger to his lips, wanting his presence to be a secret for at least a little longer. She glanced over her shoulder, and looked back up at him. The woman nodded, and turned away to get on with her life. That was when his wings gave out from overexertion, and he collapsed into the grass.

**Max's POV**

Just when life started to get really good and normal, it all had to come crashing down. Jeb had absolutely no answers for me, he just told me to keep doing what I'm doing and then the answers will show there. WTH? I can't speak fortune cookie! Mom made us an excellent dinner of spaghetti and meatballs. I had four servings, but Iggy, being a show-off, had six. After dinner was over, I wandered over toward the front door to see if anyone wanted to go outside with me and start making plans to leave. Yeah, I know. Leave, when everything here was so perfect? But a part of me could hardly stand to be here anymore. So, why stay, then? Dylan followed me, of course.

"What are you doing?" he asked me.

"Making plans to get out of here, you?"

"Oh…why are you leaving?" He seemed a little sad.

"I can't take it here anymore,"

"Why? You haven't been attacked by Erasers or Flyboys for the first time in forever, your flock is safe, and everyone is happy. What is there to hate?" I stared him down, ready to tell the truth at last.

"It's you, Dylan. It's you I can't stand. You aren't my perfect half. No one is. I'm Maximum Ride, and I'm in charge of my own destiny. You can't decide who I want to be with…no one can!"

"But, Max-" I held up a hand.

"No, don't follow me," I was about to take a step forward, and nearly tripped over something I couldn't see. I refused to let that stop me, and took off into the air. Dylan watched me leave, a grim expression on his face.

**Fang, 3****rd**** person**

Fang just barely managed to leave without being noticed, and noticed that Max was flying away. What now? He followed her. She was headed northeast somewhere. She suddenly shifted east, and he continued to follow her without any difficulty. Though he was exhausted, the constant image of Max just feet ahead of him kept him going. Fang wondered what she was thinking, but then he realized he could hear her crying quietly. She had been doing more of that…how many of her tears were over him, and how many were over ordinary things? He frowned. Max didn't cry about ordinary things. She didn't cry at all if she could help it. So when _she_ cried, it was a big deal. Suddenly, Max started coughing violently. She executed a dive. Fang let her go, and then followed her again after a few minutes.

**Max POV**

Something was very, very wrong. Already. I couldn't stop coughing. I could hardly even breathe. I made a slightly clumsy landing on the ground and stumbled into a tree. The coughing finally stopped when I sat on the ground to get my head back together so that I could fly again.

"Max?" a familiar voice asked. I turned, and suddenly wished I hadn't. It was Fang.


	10. A Promise Is A Promise, Remember?

Chapter 10- A Promise is A Promise, Remember?

Fang POV

_That wasn't smart…_I thought as Max stared in shock at me. She only got the benefit of surprise for, oh, thirty seconds before she broke out into coughs again. As her head bent down, past her dirty blonde hair I thought I could see a line of black numbers. I squinted, and with my bird kid vision, my theory was confirmed. Definitely an expiration date. Finally, she was able to breathe again, and Max snapped her head up to look at me once more. I still remained silent, just as I did for all that time I was away. Her name crossed my lips once again; I couldn't stop myself from saying it again.

"Max," She blinked, not reacting. I could see what she was doing. It was an act I had perfected in the past years. It was something that made me labeled as "emo" by many of my blog readers. After what felt like an eternity, she spoke.

"Nice of you to drop in, you promise breaker," Though it was true, it still stung. I shrugged, hoping to just let this slide like so many other things. Max's eyes hardened and I realized I wasn't going to get off so easily. Probably deserved it, considering the situation…

"Go ahead. Give it all you got," I dared. "You know I deserve it," She shook her head rapidly, and I stood there in complete awe as her blonde hair swung about and formed a hypnotizing frizzy halo around her head.

"You don't even deserve that. So I'm giving you what you deserve. Nothing. You should leave now, leave, go back to where you came from,"

"Where would that be? A test tube?" I shot back.

"Your parents,"

"They're dead," I stated matter-of-factly. I noticed a flicker of sympathy on her face before it was drowned in anger and pain. "So I have nowhere to go,"

"What about Lissa, the Red Haired Wonder?"

"She's a bitch, as you know,"

"Bridget?"

"Same as Lissa. I have nowhere to go, no one to be with. Except you, Max," Her mouth twitched into a frown. She was unconvinced. I had to try harder. I had to persuade her with the new ability I gained the second I had left Max.

"I have an internal clock," I told her. Still no reaction. I might as well have just told her the weather. So I continued.

"This internal clock tells me you have been hurting, not just for days, but for weeks, and months, even. The second you opened that letter, it unleashed a storm of pain that raged on and on, and still is raging, though I stand in front of you in an attempt to make it all better. I can tell by the looks in your eyes that you think I'm crazy, but think about it. Would I not care about you if I left Antarctica, not headed anywhere in particular, only to end up here? Would I not care about you if I didn't end up circling the house for hours and hours? Would I not care about you if I didn't follow you here, concerned about you?" I used up probably a year's worth of words in less than five minutes. But at the moment, that wasn't my concern. Max gaped in shock at me, but quickly recovered so she could respond.

"I…want to believe you," she murmured, struggling for the right words. I could read her better than she ever knew, and I could tell that she believed me. She just didn't want to give me the benefit of seeing her emotional side.

"And you do, don't you?" I asked. As an answer, she walked up to me and punched me in the nose, hard enough to break it and send blood flowing down my face. I readjusted my nose before it could set broken, grimacing just slightly so that she could see it hurt. But only a little. And then she stepped back, looking me straight in the eyes for the first time.

"All right, I admit, you deserved that," Max said. "But don't think this means you're off the hook. You'll have to suffer a little longer," She started coughing again, harder than before. I wanted to help, but was unsure as to what I should do to help.

"Check your neck," I said. She felt her neck, and I watched as her eyes widened.

"What's on my neck?" she asked in a too-calm voice.

"An expiration date,"

"How long do I have to live?" she continued.

"A week," The two words were like a bombshell on Max. It took a lot to shock her. Me, I could feel the panic starting to set in. But I knew that none of it would show in my face. I had to let it show in my words and actions. Mostly actions, though, since I deemed words unnecessary most of the time. We flew back to the house together, holding hands. Of course, I knew getting back into a relationship with Max was out of the question as long as Dylan was around. We landed silently landed in the grass not too far away from the front door. Max motioned for me to wait while she alerted the others with her grim news, then shocking news. I could hear Nudge's squeal of delight from inside, so I knew she gave out my return as good news first. Then I heard quiet sobbing from inside. It didn't sound like anyone's I was familiar with. Dr. Martinez? I drifted toward the doorway. I could see Dr. Martinez from the window. Her back was to me, and her shoulders were shaking with sobs. I walked into the house, not bothering to wait any longer.

"The only person to help me…is dead?" Max growled. Dr. Martinez nodded, tears still streaming down her face.

"Jeb is dead," she whispered. "The only man I ever loved…" She sobbed harder. Angel, being the sweet seven year old, went up to the woman and hugged her tightly. Dylan stood awkwardly in the background. I didn't think he noticed me yet, until he suddenly locked eyes with me. Turquoise on black. He seemed unsurprised, as if I had just been over here yesterday instead of two months ago.

"Great," Max muttered. "Guess we have to talk to Dr. God again. Dylan?" He looked up at the sound of his name.

"I'll need you to arrange us a meeting with him…any way you can. Even pretend to be part of his experiment again if you have to, I don't care. I'm not going down without a fight," I felt invisible, which probably wasn't far from the truth, since I could camouflage myself by simply standing still. Dylan nodded.

"Shouldn't be too hard to convince that idiot," Dylan said. "I'll be back by dinner," He ran out the door to take off. Nudge and Dr. Martinez were still in the room, along with the others in the flock.

"Uh…" I said awkwardly. "A promise is a promise, remember? So, that's why I'm back. For Max. For you guys," Silence. Then…I was suddenly hugged by everybody. What is this? I was the jerk that left in the first place, right? What the heck? I let myself be squeezed to death by Nudge before I finally said something I should've said two months ago.

"I'm sorry I ever left. That was stupid of me,"

"You got that right," Iggy muttered. "I was the one that called you a butthead,"

"Oh yeah…" Gazzy said. "Where's Angel?"

"Right here," she sang out from above him, using her wings like a parachute to bring herself back to the floor safely.

"I knew he was here before Max even came inside," she bragged. "His thoughts can be pretty loud sometimes,"

"Hi Angel," I said weakly, bracing myself for another torturous hug.

"You do know that you're not supposed to be Max's perfect half, right?" Angel asked, her blue eyes gazing up at me.

"Yes," I replied dully. "But that's not why I'm here,"

"I know,"

Dr. Martinez POV

Why is it that everything precious must be destroyed? Everyone here celebrated the return of Fang, oblivious to my pain. Even my own daughter, Max, just stood there and acted as if I wasn't there. Ella came home from school and saw what was going on. She took in the sight of Fang being in the house, of Angel folding in her pure white wings, and last of all, me, red eyed and teary still.

"What happened, Mom?" she asked. That just got me sobbing all over again. Still crying, I took her into my room to tell her the terrible news.


	11. My Immortal

**A/N: This chapter was named after Nickelback's song "Far Away" which I'll use as a central theme to the chapter. Not sure if I spelled the guy's name right, so you'll have to let me know whether I did or not. Don't have FANG with me, when I read it, I borrowed it from my cousin, so…yeah.**

Chapter 11- My Immortal

"I can't believe he's gone," I said to Fang as Dylan came inside, looking very grim.

"He's here, guys," Dylan announced. "I couldn't convince him, but he's here to fix it all…" Dr. Gunthen-Hagen walked into the room with a very long needle.

"Just hold still, Max, this won't hurt a bit," he said in a cheerful voice that I deeply mistrusted.

Angel POV

_Hah, she actually believes that I'll 'fix' her expiration date? Yeah, right! Whatever…this will kill her within a few days, to quicken the process. All right, now that will do it!_ My eyes went wide at this new information from Dr. Gunthen-Hagen. I tuned into my Voice to see if it would be of any help.

**Angel, you have to let Max die,** the Voice said. **It's all part of the test, and of Max saving the world. She will be fine, trust me. But you have to learn to wait for things to work out on their own. Now, I can't allow you to remember that last part, so…**

There was a throbbing pain in my head, and then everything went very gray all around me. I fell to the floor and clutched my head, wanting the pain to go away. Make it stop, stop, stop! And then blissful oblivion.

Nudge POV

OMG, Fang is like, totally back and everything! I am soooo happy! I have to go tell Ella that we should celebrate with a huuuuge pizza dinner with soda and everything! It would be totally awesome. I ran into her room, but it was empty.

"Ella?" I shouted. "Where'd you go?" I heard faint crying from downstairs. I followed the source of the noise to Dr. M's room. I pushed the door open and found Dr. Martinez on her bed, crying. Ella was with her.

"Dr. Martinez…why are you crying?" I asked. She looked up and wiped her tears away.

"Jeb's dead," she whispered. Ella placed a comforting hand on Dr. M's arm.

"Oh, weren't you supposed to marry him or something?" She nodded. Her brown eyes were filled with pain. I was suddenly reminded of how Max looked when Fang left us. But now he was back, so everything would get better.

"Ella, honey, why don't you see if the others are hungry?" Max's mom asked.

Gazzy POV

"Dude, this is so wild," I said to Iggy. "You hear about this?" He looked at me in confusion.

"Dr. God is in the house, right?" Iggy asked, listening very hard to his surroundings.

"That's what I meant," I said to him. "Something wrong with your hearing?" Ella came out and headed into the kitchen.

"Who's hungry?" she called out.

"Stupid question!" I yelled back. "Hey, Nudge, dinner's going to be ready soon! Max, where are you?"

Fang POV

I watched in horror as the needle went into Max's arm…and she collapsed. There was an eerie silence. Then I heard Gazzy yelling for Nudge and Max. I bent down to pick up Max. Dylan silently watched me. I think he was trying to see if I made a better mate for her, but it was obvious what he thought about me.

"Hey, I'm ordering pizza!" Ella shouted. "What do you guys want?"

"The usual," I responded. "For everyone," I continued to stare at Max, hoping she'd wake up soon. The jerk who had done this to her had already left before I could punch his brains out. I set Max on the couch.

"Fang…" Max murmured, opening her eyes. "I feel really strange," I said nothing. How fitting. "I feel really hot," I felt her forehead. She felt normal…but I was going by bird kid standards here, and we aren't exactly normal.

"Just stay here, I'll go see if Ella's done making the orders,"

"No, I said two pepperonis and one sausage," Ella said as I walked into the kitchen. "Right, how much will that be? Do you take checks?" Angel ran into the kitchen and dragged me upstairs before I could say anything.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Fang!" Angel sobbed. "It's horrible! So horrible…Max is going to die! There's nothing we can do!" I just held her as she cried, feeling a few tears streak down my face. If Max was going to die, then the world would never get saved. I would surely die if Max did. Finally, Angel gulped and looked up at me.

"I'm glad you're back," she said, and I could feel a little warmth go back into my heart. I smiled at her in my trade mark way. Ella finished her phone call and came upstairs.

"What's going on?" she questioned.

"Go get the others and round them up in the living room. Angel has some bad news," She nodded and ran back downstairs. I went after her and sat on the floor by Max's head. Dr. Martinez came out, her eyes red from crying.

"You're not going to like this, Dr. Martinez," Angel said in a hollow voice from the bottom of the stairs. Gazzy and Iggy fought for a spot on the other couch. Nudge for once was quiet. "None of you will, actually. Max is going to die very soon. I made sure of it, my Voice is right," Max didn't react. It was almost as if she wasn't in the room. Everyone started crying. Only Max just sat there, very limp and distant. Come to think of it, she hasn't been quite right since she woke up.

"Why Max?" Gazzy croaked through his tears. "It's not fair!"

"I know!" Iggy shouted, jumping to his feet. "Isn't there something we can do? Someone we can fight?" Angel sadly shook her head, more tears spilling from her blue eyes. Nudge stared in shock at Max, at a loss for words. Ella cried into Dr. M's shirt. But it was Dr. M who looked the worst. She looked like she had her heart ripped right out of her chest. I knew she had loved Jeb, which didn't bring a reaction out of me, but Max was…Max. She was my everything, my right wing…I looked over at her.

"Fang," Max said, sitting up. "Since I'm going to die, I have to tell you something I should've told you a long time ago,"

"What?"

"I love you," She pressed her lips to mine. It didn't matter that her days were numbered, or that the pizza was about to get here. She loved me right now…that was all that mattered to me at the moment.


	12. Nothing Defeats Maximum Ride!

Chapter 12- Nothing Defeats Maximum Ride!

Though I was supposed to die today, nothing had happened as of yet. I felt completely normal. But, of course, with my luck, my death would be very sudden and unexpected. And it was true. As I flew out and about, it was as if my strings had been cut, and I was falling…down. Very fast. I couldn't even move my wings anymore, or cry out to Fang for help. But I wasn't afraid. Nothing hurt, but nothing felt good either. I was just falling and falling and it seemed I would never hit the ground. I felt someone catch me at the very last second. Someone was calling my name…

"Max! Oh Max, please don't die!" Fang begged. "Stay with me!" I tried, but it was just so hard, and the dark cool water waited below me. I slipped into it, and heard no more. Everything fell away, all my worries and fears and thoughts that were just unimportant. Not even the Voice could find me here. I felt so incredibly free and light and happy where I was I never wanted to leave this dark paradise. I could sense that I was being carried somewhere.

"Max…" Fang whispered. "She's gone," His voice cracked, and I could hear him crying. Wait, what? Fang never cried. I never saw him shed a tear in my whole life. Well, except when he got the news that I was going to die. Maybe I was dead. Was this what being dead was like?

_**Max, you aren't dead**_, the Voice said. Oh, great.

_Uh…huh?_

_**You have been put into a temporary expired state as a test. To everyone else, you're dead. I'll have to keep you here for a while…sleep well, Max.**_

Wait, sleep well? What was the Voice talking about…so tired…must…sleep…yawn. I drifted off to sleep at once, suddenly feeling as if I could sleep for a year.

_-Maximum Ride- -Maximum Ride- -Maximum Ride- Maximum Ride- -Maximum Ride-_

_And so the time passed. Fang and the others were forced to deal with life without Max, their soul guide and leader. The world fell into disaster without Max there to save it. A month later, Fang kicked Dylan out of the flock, and he was soon killed by people who were raised to hate mutants. A few days after that, there was a news report of new mutants being created to destroy the hidden flock in Arizona. Becoming afraid, Gazzy and Iggy fled to Europe. Three more months went by without anything else happening. Max's grave had a lot of flowers growing out of it now. Iggy and Gazzy did not return, but started their own business in bomb making, for protection only. They became extremely rich in France, and the flock occasionally visited. Another news report came, saying the mutants had discovered the hidden flock's address. Ella and Dr. Martinez went to hide out in South America. Four more months slowly went by. It was just Nudge, Angel, and Fang now. Nudge scarcely said a word to anyone, and Angel was never cheerful as she used to be. It was a very depressed household without Max there. Every single day, for an hour, Fang sat by Max's grave and didn't say anything. It wasn't out of character for him not to say anything, but it was the way he said nothing that he communicated. But, in recent months, he talked to Max a lot by her grave, as if she could hear him. Angel had had enough of his nonsense and went to go live with Ella and Dr. Martinez. So now, a month later, it was just Nudge and Fang, all alone. It was early spring, and Nudge used to love spring, before Max died. Now she hardly went outside, except to stretch her wings once every week or so. Fang sat by Max's grave, hoping to hear her voice like he had been for the past nine months. And always, they were being watched. Though they did not know it. The mutant ran and attacked Fang. He was dragged away, never to be seen or heard from again. Nudge attempted suicide five times in his absence. Almost five weeks later he returned, bleeding and bruised and weak. She silently tended to his injuries, not asking where he had been or why he was taken or anything. The mutants gave up on the search, having lost track of the rest of the hidden flock. Dr. Gunthen-Hagen was found dead in the streets, killed by the enemy mutants. Good riddance, Nudge had said. This was just days after Fang's return. Most humans were dead now, persecuted and accused of working with the hidden flock. Iggy and Gazzy were arrested by the French police and jailed. Bankrupt and disowned by the country, they flew to Arizona, where they found Nudge trying to cut off her wings. Upon Iggy's return, she abruptly dropped the knife and hugged him very tightly. He hugged her back, and instantly the situation brightened some. Dr. Martinez and Ella were becoming frightened by Angel's abilities, and sent her back to Arizona a week later. She demanded that she become leader at once, and nobody was in the mood to argue with her. By now, Max had been dead for almost a year. She was mostly forgotten by the flock, and by the whole world. Except for one, the one who sat by Max's grave daily, whether it was sunny or raining. But the one day he didn't go there was the day action at Max's grave finally happened. Nobody was aware of it until the next day, when everyone saw the dug up grave. It had been exactly three hundred sixty-five days since her death, and now there wasn't even a body as evidence she even existed. But she existed, right here and now, and now stood on the roof looking down at her broken flock._

"Where's Max?" Nudge wailed between sobs. "I thought she was dead!" It was the first time she had spoken in weeks. Iggy held her hand and tried to calm her down.

"Nudge, its going to be okay," he said. "This is Max we're talking about,"

"She died without fear," Gazzy stated, remembering her falling out of the sky. "I want to die like that,"

"Is she dead, though?" Angel wondered.

"Can you pick up any foreign thoughts about chocolate chip cookies?" Fang asked her. Angel shook her head after a moment of concentration. Fang sighed and looked over at Nudge, who had finally calmed down and was now holding onto Iggy for support.

"Well, some mutant took her body then. Get rid of all the upturned flowers…I need to be alone," Angel didn't last long as leader, being the mind controller she was, so it was up to Fang to be in charge. It required a little more talking, which was an effort for him, but he made a fairly good leader. He wasn't as reckless as Max. He thought things through, sometimes, more than once, to make sure the decision was right. Max jumped down off of the roof and stared at her flock.

"What did I miss?" she asked.

"Wow, people just don't die like they used to," Fang remarked, but everyone could see the shocked and slightly frightened look on his face.

**A/N: DUN DUN DUN! What will happen next? Review, review, review! I have become addicted to poker, so if I start talking about it and don't shut up, just do what Iggy does to Nudge…hahaha.**


	13. Reunited

Chapter 13- Reunited

"Oh, would you look here…" Angel said. "Max is back. From the dead."

"You say that like it's a bad thing," I said, rolling my eyes. "Look, I know you guys must have been seriously hurt by my 'death' but this was not my choice. The Voice did this to me," If only they had believed me. If only. But my life could never be that simple. I was never getting the reunion I had dreamed about for a long time.

"Nudge has to see a therapist because of your lies, Max!" Fang shouted at me. "You hurt us all, whether you meant to or not! I'll never forgive you!" Tears welled up in my eyes, and I swiftly turned away so that nobody would see me cry. I took one step forward, half hoping someone would follow. But even with my super senses, I didn't hear an approach as I jumped off the roof and unfurled my tawny wings, glorious feathers glimmering in the rising sun. Tears, hot and painful, continued to stream down my cheeks as I flew on and on. Well, screw them then. If they didn't want me, so be it. I wouldn't be a burden to anyone…that wasn't who I was. But then I heard another pair of wings, almost completely silent in following me.

"Max! Don't go!" Nudge cried. Her voice broke as she came up to me. I quickly wiped my tears and looked at her.

"Why not?" I asked bitterly. "Nobody wants me there,"

"I do, Max," Nudge whispered. "It was Fang who never believed you were dead…I reacted the worst, and he was just worried, see. But now everything's different. You HAVE to go back! I promise to always go to the therapist to get better and stuff like I should, so I can be happy for _you_. Iggy and Gazzy promise they'll only blow something up every other day, and even Angel will be more behaved just to get you back again like before. Fang didn't know what he was saying…Angel told me that he was just so startled and all the hurt just came spilling out and-"

"Nudge!" I interrupted. "Give me a minute to talk," She grinned at me, but I could tell that she had definitely matured.

"How long was I gone?"

"A year," she whispered. "I'm thirteen, you and Fang and Iggy are sixteen, Angel is eight, and Gazzy is ten," I felt my eyes widen. I missed my sweet sixteen? My sweet Gazzy would bee a teenager. Nudge _was_ a teenager. Oh my God. No wonder Fang said all of that.

_The first part of the test was a success. The flock cannot live without you. Just don't get captured on your way back…_

I gritted my teeth. Seriously? The Voice had been NOTHING but trouble ever since it had entered my head. This had to end.

"What's wrong, Max?" Nudge asked as I suddenly shifted position.

"We are going to find the source of my Voice once and for all!" I declared, heading back for our safe house.

Fang POV

Crap…I really screwed up this time! Angel's blue eyes watched my every move as I paced back and forth over Max's grave. How could I have been so cruel and thoughtless? That was it. I was going after her! As I looked up at the sky, I saw two winged figures heading for the house. They landed softly on the roof, one dark and one blonde. Hm. Looks like I don't have to go anywhere after all. Max leapt off the roof and approached me.

"We're on a mission, Fang," she said fiercely. Chocolate brown eyes gazed intensely at me. The others flocked over to her at once. Suddenly, something shifted into place and this felt right. Despite my stellar skills, Max was clearly destined to be leader, with me by her side. I smiled, well sort of. I didn't want her to know I actually possessed emotion. It might freak her out. And it took a lot to freak out someone like Max.

Dylan POV

Great…how'd I get myself into this situation? I cursed under my breath and tried to see through the pitch black cloth covering my eyes. They think I'm Max's Voice, but I don't see how that's possible, seeing as I was thrown into existence long after she had suddenly gotten it. This sort of torture had been going on for three months, nonstop pretty much. Now they had put me in a completely dark room with a cloth over my head to see if I could tell where Max was without my special sight.

"Where is Maximum Ride?" a scientist asked me.

"I don't know!" I growled. "I'm not her tracker. That's your job, you idiot,"

"Put him in the isolation tank," he called to someone. "He's not cooperating," Uh oh. Max had told me about isolation tanks, and from what I've heard, they aren't very fun. I was dragged along, blindfold now removed after three hours of wearing it. I was placed in the tank, cold nothingness worse than any pain I have ever experienced. But I had a skill that had recently emerged that nobody knows about. I had an internal clock. Time was all I had now. Instantly, I began counting the seconds as they ticked by, hoping someone would rescue me.

Max POV

"Ow," I moaned, an all too familiar headache coming on. The Voice kept going on

and on about Dylan. I ignored it, flying on in the direction of the school. This has to come to an end one way or another.


	14. Nothingness

**A/N: I am so sorry this one hasn't gotten updated like it should, but I have writer's block for this story, so PLEASE just bear with me.**

**Anyway, yesterday was my major AP test and I really hope I passed it.**

Chapter 14- Nothingness

Dylan POV

I am nothing. Completely unspectacular. What have I done to deserve becoming this…nothing? Was it loving Max? Maybe I was falling in love with the wrong girl all along. My true target was right here. If only I would have been honest enough to have tried her in the first place. But now, thanks to all of my lies, I'm stuck here for good.

Max POV

"Unnggh…just face it Max, we aren't going to get any answers," Fang grumbled. After days and days of searching, we might as well have been looking for a, earth colored flea for all the success we had. For once, I had to agree with Fang. This search was completely time wasting and futile. There were other things we could be doing, like rounding up other experiments for one major battle against the scientists or explore the School for more clues on the next plan. We were currently at McDonald's finishing off our meal. The others were being unusually quiet, so I figured they were extremely tired.

"Alright then, let's call it a day. Back to Mom's house it is," I announced. Nudge mustered a weak smile and started for the glass doors. Gazzy and Angel were right behind her. Iggy lagged behind with us.

"Are we even going to make it outside?" Iggy slurred, wobbling a little as he approached the doorway. I started to feel very strange.

"Did you notice something strange about the lady at the counter?" Angel asked sleepily. "She had this look in her eyes, but I couldn't read her mind,"

"Fang," I called softly. He looked at me. "Get the kids out of here. I think we've all been drugged or something," He nodded and started to lead the others away. I was feeling more and more lethargic, and eventually I came to a stop in the parking lot. I tried unfurling my wings, but it just took too much energy. It took three more tries before I succeeded. Fighting off the exhaustion, I took off into the air and flew back to my mom's house. Somehow we all made it there without collapsing. Of course, to make things worse, new symptoms started to show up as I went inside. To accompany the impossible exhaustion, my muscles began to ache as if I had been flying for hours rather than minutes. I collapsed onto the couch, moaning in pain. It was no ordinary hurt; it got worse as time went by. Though I tried to sleep, my heart was racing much like it had when I got my velocity ability.

"Max? What's going on with everyone?" Ella asked in a worried voice. "They're acting very strange,"

"I don't know," I said. "We think someone at McDonald's did something to our food. Could you do a little detective work?"

"Wow, really?" My half sister beamed at me. "I have an old chemistry set I got for Christmas; it's very professional and could be useful for this,"

"Make sure to disguise it," I advised. "And hurry, because it looks like things are about to get ugly," The second Ella left, I couldn't have been more right. Mom ran out into the living room and found me shaking and covered in sweat. It was the same with the others, who were collapsed in various positions on the floor.

"I'm scared," Angel said in a small voice. Never, in my whole life, had I heard Angel say that.

"Max, what happened?" my mom exclaimed. Gazzy was bent over and panting for air. Iggy looked close to throwing up. Nudge was very pale and quiet, very unlike herself. Angel continued looking fearfully around, as if she were expecting an attack.

"I am so suing McDonald's," I declared. Fang crawled over to my side. Usually his face was hard to read, but I could see he was more worried about me than himself.

"Isn't there something I can do?" my mom asked, watching all of us fearfully. I shook my head, afraid to open my mouth again with the way my stomach was churning and twisting. How could I ever have been hungry? I don't think I'd want food ever again after this…I curled up into a miserable little ball and decided to just wait out all of this. Whatever it was.

Since there was only three bathrooms in the whole house, and it looked like all of us were going to be sick at various times, she made sure that the rest of us left locked out had a bucket just in case. Fang and I stayed together in the living room while the Gasman, Nudge, and Iggy all got the bathrooms. Angel also remained nearby, taking the other couch. She was trying to fall asleep, with next to no success.

"Why can't I go to sleep?" she exclaimed. "I'm so tired!"

"Must be one of the symptoms," Fang gasped, coming up for air after disappearing into his bucket for almost a whole minute. I pushed back his shaggy black hair absently, still focused on Angel. She blankly stared at the ceiling and said nothing more.

"I hope Ella comes back soon," I murmured. I was the only one who hadn't thrown up at all yet. Suddenly, I was bent over my bucket just like Fang was a minute ago.

"I hate this!" Angel wailed. I barely heard her over my vomiting. Charming, right? I didn't think so.

Ella POV

Oh…great. Now I'm being held hostage at McDonald's. Plan A did not go so well. But, luckily, I was left in the back room I was hoping to get into, unattended of course to make things even more convenient. I wiggled out of my loose bonds and found some blueprints. It looked like this McDonald's was a School in disguise. Hmm. Max wouldn't be too happy about this. I took the blue prints and stuffed them in my pocket. Also on the abandoned desk was a list of complicated chemicals, along with the recipe for a Big Mac. Max and the others like Big Macs, so I figured this had to do with how everyone was acting when they got home. There had to be more clues somewhere…I took the list and recipe, just as the door started to open. Panicking, I hid in the cabinet in the far back of the room.

"Go ahead and grab the chem set, we need it for further testing," someone called. Footsteps, cautious and quiet, headed for my hiding place. I held my breath.

"They aren't here," a young female voice said. It sounded way too familiar. _Max?_ I listened harder.

"Well look harder. They're in the code of a Big Mac recipe. I'm taking care of this customer. Hurry up," I let out a squeak as I realized that I had the recipe the woman spoke of. The door shut.

"What was that?" The cabinet door flung open and I found myself staring at Max.

"Max? Is that really you? How could you betray everyone like that?"

"I think you've got the wrong person," Max said with a frown. "I changed my name…my name's Maya now,"

"Oh, but why do you look and sound just like Max, then?" I asked, climbing out of the cabinet.

"I'm her clone. Long story. Why don't you give me the recipe and leave?" I shook my head and ran for it, knowing I didn't have a chance. I didn't stop until I reached home, with Max/Maya right on my tail.

"Give it to me! I need to destroy it!" Maya shouted as I charged into the living room.

"Fine, here," I panted, giving all my findings to her. "I was only trying to help Max and the others…they don't look so good," Maya looked at Max, Fang, and Angel with amused curiosity. Angel had fallen asleep, along with Fang. Max was the only one awake, and it looked like she was at the last of her energy.

"They'll be fine…I think," she said hesitantly. "It doesn't look very serious yet, so don't worry too much yet,"

Dylan POV

I wondered if I still even had a voice. I tried calling for help over and over again, but I couldn't even hear myself whisper. And again, her face came to mind, reminding me that there was no way I could be complete nothingness. She came into my dreams so often; I wondered how I had ever loved Max before her. My precious, sweet, and perfect angel. She was too good to even think her name at the moment. But at that moment, her face came once to mind again. Perfect red curls. I wished I could touch them. She had almost rescued me.

"Anya…" I was startled to discover that I still even had a voice. She was bringing me back into existence again.


	15. Bring Me to Life

Chapter 15- Bring Me to Life

Dylan POV

"Dylan is dead, there is nothing you can do for him," the scientist told Anya. She was a new experiment they were testing. She had similar abilities to Dylan's and it seemed they were made for each other.

"I know he's alive," Anya whispered, stubborn as ever. Her eyes glistened with tears but she did not cry. It was the only time Henry had seen her show emotion at all.

I…think I still existed. The conversation above me was all a sideline. Upon opening my eyes I realized I could see. Then I saw _her_ and it no longer mattered whether I was alive or dead, as long as she was happy.

"Anya," I said, my voice sounding cheerful. "You saved me," She beamed at me.

"Oh, it was nothing," she replied, pulling me to my feet. I felt completely normal, as if I had been in that isolation tank for only five minutes.

"How long was I in there?" I wondered.

"Almost a week," she answered. The white coat left the room. A week? Hmm. I hardly remembered what I had been put in there for in the first place. Her voice was so wonderful. I never wanted her to stop talking.

"What are your abilities?" I asked eagerly, wanting to hear her speak again. Not the words…just the voice. She smiled at me. Apparently she'd never had a friend before.

"Well, I can hear stuff over a mile away, and I have a perfect internal clock, so I make a fairly good clock no matter where I am. Plus I heal wicked fast. They test me all the time but I don't mind. It's all I live for, so might as well enjoy it. Besides they treat me well here since I cooperate."

"Tell me more about these…scientists and how they really think," I said, fascinated by all of this. Max said the white coats were bad because they treated every experiment like an animal.

"Well, the scientists treat me well but I see how they treat others…I guess I'm the most important one," Something clicked just then.

"You have to get out of here," I whispered frantically.

"Why?" Anya asked. "I'm happy here. Henry is my best friend out of all the scientists,"

"They are going to use you for something then dispose of you. Anya you are only a pawn. I know we barely know each other but you have to trust me." She looked at me.

"Okay, let's say that you're right," she said. "Where would I go?" I glanced at her wings.

"How well can you fly?" I asked her.

Maya POV

"You guys look pretty bad," I said. "Mind if I help out?" Max glared at me with only half her usual fierceness. She was quite the fighter, as I clearly recalled in our last face to face conversation.

"Why the hell would we accept your help?" she growled. "You tried to kill me,"

"The McDonald's is a School is disguise," the girl next to me announced suddenly. I turned to look at her.

"Not. Helping." I hissed under my breath. She fell silent at once.

"As this School is experimenting with drugs in the form of McDonald's food, they are trying to come up with ways to make the experiments at the School in California more submissive and willing to do tests. The result was a girl called Anya, whom they think will be Dylan's official perfect half. Not you, Max. They were sadly misinformed about that. The prophecy had stated a beautiful, unique experiment who had lived her life in the School. It easily applied to you according to Dylan, since he fell for you right away. But now that they have Anya being pulled by the strings of the School there is no use for you anymore." Max listened to all of this in silence. The dark haired girl beside me sat over by Max, obviously concerned for her.

"I wish I could help, Max," she said.

"Ella…I'll be fine," Max whispered. "Don't worry about me. Maya has something that can help, right?" I nodded and brought out the medication.

"One dose of this and you'll be fine within the hour," I handed the bottle to Max and she carefully took twice the amount of dosage necessary. I said nothing to this, knowing we probably burned through medication faster than food. Max got off the couch and poured the syrupy stuff down Fang's throat, then Angel's. The bottle was almost half empty.

"Take this to the others," she instructed the girl Ella. She obeyed at once, searching for all the other members of the flock in turn. Then Max turned on me.

"Now, go…you have no more use here," Max said. I shrugged and left the house. I had better things to do other than hang around a dysfunctional genetically engineered flock of teenagers.

Dr. M POV

I wandered around the house, lost in thought. I had long since moved on from Jeb, and even had a new boyfriend named Garret. He was very sweet and understanding. I had yet to tell him what all the children temporarily living here were like. Since he and I have been dating well over seven months, I supposed it was time to tell the guy the truth. He knew they were unusual and crazy and never had parents. Wait till learned more about them…I sighed and started dialing his number.

"What's up, honey? I was just heading over,"

"I have to tell you something before you get here, so you're prepared," I said quickly.

"I'm listening,"

Fifteen minutes, my new lover walked through the door, looking very interested. I was cautious, though, and made sure he didn't ask too many questions the second he walked inside. Nudge and Gazzy were in the living room playing Sorry! on the carpet, bursting into argument every five minutes. Max and Fang were sitting on the couch talking in low voices I could barely hear. Angel was reading to Iggy. Ella was nowhere to be seen.

"Are these all your children?" he asked eagerly. "Did you perform these experiments? Wow, this is so fascinating! I should tell-" I gave him a warning glare.

"Max is my daughter, along with Ella. The rest are part of the flock." I pointed out each one to Garret and told something about the children that I thought he should know.

"The dark girl there on the floor is Nudge. She likes to talk, so don't try to get her going on anything unless you like having your ears bleed. She can also control metal." Garret smiled at Nudge, who didn't really seem to notice him.

"That is the Gasman, otherwise known as Gazzy," Garret gave me a look of alarm. "Don't ask,"

"That's…interesting. What can he do?"

"Mimic voices and…other…things," I hesitated, but he seemed to get the picture. "Anyway, over there is Iggy being read to. He's blind, but don't let that fool you. He can see like nobody else can," Garret looked at Angel, who smiled sweetly at him from her book.

"Who's that?" he asked.

"That is Angel…she has a lot of interesting abilities, not all of them pleasant," Max suddenly grabbed Fang and started kissing him.

"Who's the goth guy," Garret muttered.

"Fang," I replied. "Now, would you like to help me make cookies or what?" He grinned at me.


	16. Zip and Locked

Chapter 16- Zip and Locked

Max POV

"Nudge?" She took out a headphone and looked at me. We were back at school, in the lunchroom and finishing up our lunch.

"Mmmhm?" Now that I was long since back, Nudge had started talking a little more, but I could tell that she was never going to be the same.

"Do you like Mom's boyfriend?"

"Well, he's not a white coat and hasn't hurt us yet, so yes," Why is it that I was having a bad feeling about this guy? Every new thing he learned about us, Mom had to force him not to broadcast it to the whole world. How does she expect for him to keep a secret this huge? Garret had the secrecy of an elephant with a bullhorn.

"He doesn't seem like the secret keeping sort of person…"

"Well, Garret's a reporter, so this is a new concept for him," Iggy said suddenly.

"A. Reporter." I repeated, trying to get a hold of my panic.

"Relax, Max, its okay. Garret's very nice," Angel said, smiling sweetly at me.

"So were many other people, until they took advantage of us!" I was on my feet now, but nobody else noticed. "Remember Anne? Remember that school? Remember…all those people we thought were helpful, but were so completely selfish we just wanted to blow them apart with the Gasman's bombs? And most of all, the worst offenders of betrayal…our parents." Nudge winced. Gazzy dropped his fork. Angel gasped. Fang, well you know Fang, but I could sort of tell he was angry. Iggy was a mixture of all four of them.

"You're right, Max," Angel said. "I guess we all forgot about that, since we got used to living with your mom and trusting people. Now that I think about it, living there hasn't changed anything at all but us."

"So, what do we do then?" Gazzy asked.

"I've got a plan," I said.

"You sure about that?" Fang teased.

"I always have a plan, you know that,"

After school that day, I knew Garret would be coming over for another visit. I told everyone to just act normal and Angel would relay the plan to everyone as the day went on. Ella walked home with us, and tried starting a conversation with Iggy several times, but each attempt left her cheeks flaming with humiliation when he didn't respond.

"So…what do you want to do tomorrow?" Ella asked finally. It was a three day weekend, the last one we would get all school year.

"Probably go out for a fly," Iggy replied. "Unless that Garret guy comes again…"

"Come on!" Ella said. "He's very nice, and he's never hurt anybody!"

"Yet," I corrected my half sister. She gave me a look. "Els, come on, you and Mom are the only people we have ever trusted besides ourselves ever since Jeb went to the dark side,"

"Really?"

"Most people aren't willing to help a person with wings, or even accept help from them," I gave her a significant look. She smiled in understanding.

"I see what you mean,"

"Oh! Did you see that rainbow?" Nudge asked in excitement. "I saw this video on the Internet about a guy who saw a double rainbow and he got all excited, like it was the best thing in the world! I watched it almost a hundred times, and then Gazzy wanted the computer, so I had to get off before Dr. Martinez got all mad at me-" Iggy finally put his hand over her mouth.

"What was the holdup?" Gazzy said. "She practically almost ran out of oxygen before you reacted,"

"I…uh…" Iggy mumbled. Ella had been talking to him this whole time, which had distracted him from Nudge's constant chatter. We were only halfway home and for a second I almost wished that Ella had wings, but realized it was better for her to be normal.

"I heard that Roger likes you, Nudge," Angel said unexpectedly. "I read his mind on the playground,"

"Roger?" Nudge blurted, wrenching Iggy's hand away. "That third grade loser who site by himself?"

"No…he's in sixth grade,"

"But the middle school is next door, so how did you read his mind?"

"The sixth grade is part of the elementary school. He saw you come by after the lost baseball yesterday and it was love at first sight," I rolled my eyes and tried to ignore them.

"Um…Max…" Gazzy tugged on my jacket sleeve. I looked at him.

"What's wrong?"

"Erasers," he whispered. Fang muttered a few good swear words under his breath. I turned and saw at least ten Erasers stalking toward us.

"We heard the bird kids were in town," the leader Eraser said smugly.

"From who? The elusive Director?" I sneered. The rest of the flock tensed behind me, ready to fight. Ella looked terrified and unsure of what to do.

"She ordered us to bring you to California," another Eraser added, starting to morph. "We can do this the easy way or our way," He started cracking his knuckles, grinning evilly. The other Erasers morphed and came closer. Iggy pushed Ella behind him and took a defensive stance.

"Ange, Gazzy, get Ella out of here," I hissed. They nodded and seized Ella by the arms, then took off into the air. That left only me, Iggy, Fang, and Nudge to fend off the Erasers.

"Why would we go with you?" I asked, keeping a casual air to the conversation.

"Because…well…just get them, I don't have time for this!" The lead Eraser clumsily took off into the air and flew off. I launched a kick at the closest Eraser, prepared to fight for the death to save anyone in my flock from being taken to the School again. He stumbled back slightly but came right back and threw a punch to my gut that knocked the breath out of me. Keeping calm, I used my momentum to throw a roundhouse kick to his head. He fell to the ground and did not get up. The rest of the battle was a blur, but I recalled treating injuries and comforting the others briefly before taking off to alert Angel and Gazzy that we got rid of the Erasers.

"How did they find out where we were?" Fang asked. I shrugged, just as stumped as everyone else.

"Let's just go inside and heal up a little bit. Not a word about our plan to Mom. Got it?" Everyone murmured their agreement and went inside. Fang and I were the only ones to remain on the porch.

"You know, we haven't heard from Dylan since he got kicked out of the flock," Fang said.

"Yeah? So? Shouldn't you be glad he's gone so that he doesn't try ending up with me again?"

"Just because I'm back, doesn't mean you necessarily _have_ to be with me," With that, he went inside to join the others, leaving me completely speechless.


	17. Welcome to the Flock?

Chapter 17- Welcome to the Flock?

Dylan POV

There was no greater feeling in the world than flying with the one you truly love. Well, as a bird kid, anyway.

"Anya…I have something to tell you," I said. She looked at me. Wow, I could stare into her eyes forever. They were calm pools of gray swirled with curiosity and intelligence, nothing at all like Max's eyes, which were usually showing anger and mistrust.

"Yes, Dylan?"

"I-well, I used to be part of this flock. But I got kicked out after the leader was dead for a while, so I came back to the School to see if I could be of any use. That is the only reason we met at all."

"Well, its better than my life story," she muttered. "Don't ever remember being on the outside like this. Sure, I've been outside, but that was just to learn how to fly. Will we be finding a place to land soon, by the way? We've only been taking two hour breaks, and that was for food or sleep."

"You know what? Maybe they'll take me back once they see they will have a new member. How would you like to be part of a family?"

Anya POV

Dylan was such a nice guy. He didn't even know me, and already he provided me with a full meal and an opportunity to finally belong somewhere. I hoped these people he mentioned were nice and had wings like me.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" I asked softly as we made camp that night. "We've only just met each other seven hours ago,"

"Well, do you want the scientific answer or my answer?" was his response. In the dark, I could just barely see his cheeks turn bright red.

"Surprise me," I said.

"The scientists that made me, they said I was someone's perfect other half. For a while, I thought it was our leader Max. Then when I came here, and you almost rescued me…well, I started to think otherwise," Did he say what I thought he said?

"What do you mean?" I asked cautiously, settling onto the softest piece of ground I could find.

"Have you ever felt something so strong that it was impossible to deny, no matter how impossible it sounded?" I slowly nodded my head, unable to look away from his intense turquoise eyes.

"Anya, I know we barely know each other but I hope one day we can be more than friends," he finished at last.

"More…than…friends?" I repeated. What did he mean? I've never heard of such a thing before, except in movies and books. And, of course, what the scientists told me. They had said I would be someone's perfect half. That this girl called Max was a mistake for that experiment.

"Yeah, you can become part of the flock and stuff like that," Dylan said happily. "So, what do you think?" I frowned, studying him closely. This really needed to be thought through.

"I'll let you know in the morning," I said after a silence.

Max POV

That evening at dinner, I made a major point of ignoring Fang for the rest of the day, which wasn't hard since he just kept to himself, although Mom continually gave me strange looks the whole time. I seriously wondered why Fang decided to come back. Was it seriously just to mess with my head for, like, the millionth time in my life? If I wanted another riddle, I'd have the Voice drop in and talk to me. Which is exactly what happened as I refilled my plate with spaghetti in the kitchen.

**Hello, Max, thought I'd drop in**. I sat down at my seat in complete shock. After glancing around and realizing nobody had noticed anything, I went back to eating, concentrating on the Voice the whole time.

_Well, you sure have your ways of showing up,_ I thought snidely as I took a bite of spaghetti.

**I've come to make an announcement. You were right not to trust Garret. He was the one who sent the Erasers. He's come to send you back to the facility.** I choked on my milk. Angel stared at me, her blue eyes round with shock. I couldn't even send a thought to tell her everything was going to be okay, because nothing was exactly okay at the moment. Story of my life.

"Angel, what's wrong?" Ella asked. She shook her head rapidly, blonde curls flying madly all over the place. She was too horrified to speak. That made two of us.

**Garret will be here in ten minutes, after dinner is over. Just follow my lead.**

_What about my plan?_ I mentally protested.

**Violence isn't always the answer. Just listen to me and you can keep your family safe.**

I sighed, knowing that no matter how annoying the Voice happened to be, it has never let me down in the past.

_Alright, talk to me_

Fang POV

Well, that is definitely not the reaction I wanted out of Max. Instead of getting closer to me, she distanced herself and refused to talk to me. But halfway through dinner I could see ignoring me was the last thing on her mind. When she sat down at the table I noticed Max was thinking about something that was surprising to her. She didn't say a word. Perhaps she was talking to the Voice again. I wondered how the Voice managed to make room in her head like that. Then I glanced at Angel, who was just as shocked. Well, duh, she can read minds.

"Garret will be here soon, so you better start cleaning up soon," Dr. Martinez announced. I could see a mischievous glint in Max's eyes. She had a plan, just like she said she did.

"What's going to happen now?" Iggy asked Max. She didn't answer at first. Unusual for her. I wondered what she had in mind for solving the Garret problem.

"Follow my lead," was all she said in response. I looked over at Nudge, who's whispered monologue about some anime called Bleach came to a sudden halt at Max's words. Gazzy sighed in relief. Ella just looked confused. Angel gazed at her, and slowly the confusion melted away. She was sending Ella a thought of what was going on.

"Does it involve bombs?" Gazzy said excitedly. Iggy grinned. He obviously agreed.

"Yeah, what does the elusive Voice say now?" I asked, forgetting that Max didn't want to even look at me right now. Well, perhaps I could redeem myself in her eyes by being loyal to the plan. Like I had a choice anyway. It was do or die. Dying did not sound like a good option to me. Especially after the mistakes I made with Max.

"Voice has everything under control," Max replied, speaking in such a way that didn't sound like she was mad at all. Maybe the words had hit a deeper nerve than I thought. All I wanted to say was that she had my permission to be with Dylan if she wanted to. Guess it came out wrong. I barely glanced at her to let her know I had heard what she said and went into my room.

Angel POV

It was getting hard to tell whether that Voice was helpful or annoying. Probably both. Max always had mixed feelings about it. There was a knock at the door, and the Gasman started rapidly clearing the table. Nudge got up to help him. I went to go answer the door.

"Hi, Angel," Garret said. "May I come in?" I stared at him, frustrated I couldn't read his mind.

"Sure," I replied, very uncertainly. He also smelled like antiseptic stuff. The School and hospitals smelled like that all the time. It was my least favorite scent in the world. I wrinkled my nose.

"Sorry. I just came back from Valencia's office," he explained, taking off his white lab coat. I backed up a few steps as he entered the living room. He was one of Them. I knew we shouldn't have trusted him!

"She's an amazing woman, you know," he continued, oblivious to my silent horror. "I told her where I came from and she seemed to be taken by me at once. I plan to marry her and have all of you adopted some day."

"Sounds exciting," I said in a bored tone. Gazzy came into the living room, discussing bomb tactics with Iggy like any normal afternoon. I could see it was a precaution in case Max's plan didn't work. Nudge was laying on the couch listening to her iPod in an unnatural silence. Max and Fang were nowhere to be seen.

"Angel, where's my-"

"On my bed," I interrupted, smiling at her. "I borrowed it," She flashed a grateful grin and went into my room.

"Just to let you know, Garret, I happen to be a mind reader," I said in my sweetest voice. I figured, why not creep him out before Max got here? Wouldn't hurt to have a little fun for once. That was something Max still needed to learn how to do. He didn't appear concerned, though. In fact, he looked more interested than ever. Max came in just then, her mouth practically glued to Fang's. She unwrapped herself from him and collapsed into the love seat. Fang followed suit, never taking his eyes off of her the entire time.

"Wait till you hear the mood music I've got tonight," Max slurred, stroking Fang's face. Garret's eyes widened so much that I thought they were going to fall out onto the floor. I watched them, suddenly interested in Max's plan all over again.

"Is it my favorite?" Fang asked.

"Why wouldn't it be? It's all about you tonight…"

"I'll be right back," He pecked her on the cheek and left the room. I read Max's mind and saw what she was going to do next.

"Relax Garret, buddy, we're talking about a date upstairs," Max said. He looked suspicious. "We know all about the safety and things like that,"

"You have lost your mind," Garret said. "Seriously, how much more irresponsibility is in this house?" He looked down at Iggy and the Gasman, who were in the middle of building a massive sized bomb.

"This wire is red," Gazzy said, examining it closely. "Don't let this one connect to the blue one. Connect it to the black only,"

"Where does the toothpaste cap go?" Iggy asked.

"Below the Hot Wheels tires," Gazzy responded. "I've got a timer on this and its set to go off ten minutes after we finish,"

"Where do you want to put it?" 

"I'm thinking Fang's bed."

"You two are building a bomb?" Garret exclaimed, like he had never heard such a thing.

"Yup," Gazzy said without looking up at him. "It is sort of our thing,"

"I found it!" Nudge shrieked from the top of the stairs. "Thanks for letting me copy off of the answers for my homework, Angel," I grinned up at her. This was driving Garret nuts.

"I'm going to have a little talk with Valencia," Garret declared. He marched straight into her room.

_Start acting normal guys,_ I instructed to everyone. Max's plan was really starting to work. I could hardly believe it. I turned on the TV and switched it to Nickelodeon. There was an episode of Spongebob about Sandy's tree dome infested with fleas. I watched it, only mildly interested in the program. About halfway through, Garret walked back out.

"Back on the market again," he said with a smirk. "See you around, freaks," The door slammed behind him.

"Looks like we are freaks," Max said without too much concern as she came back out. "Fang, you can turn that stupid thing off." I drifted off toward Dr. Martinez's room. She was undoubtedly suffering from a broken heart. I had to tell her this needed to be done for our protection. Then I realized how selfish I sounded. Surely she'd understand more than anyone why this had to happen the way it did. But when I walked in there, I saw Dr. Martinez just blankly staring off into space.

"Dr. M?" I called softly. No response. I sat on the bed in front of her. She focused on me, looking even worse than when she found out Jeb was dead.

"Look, I know we probably shouldn't have driven him off like that, but Max said he couldn't be trusted. And what made things worse was that he smelled of chemicals and was wearing a white coat. Dr. Martinez, he's the enemy, hard as it is to believe. He works for the School, where we came from." She didn't seem to hear me. I sadly looked at her for a long time. Her mind was still in shock. Nothing I said registered in her mind. Maybe it would be better if I came back later.

Dylan POV

"Alright, here we are," I whispered softly, watching some stranger leave the safe house. "Let's go in," Anya nodded nervously and followed me toward the front door. This was it. Everyone was about to meet a new flock member. Then I saw Max through the window, talking to Fang. Did I still have feelings for her? It was hard to tell. I led Anya closer and closer to the door. Then, suddenly, the door flew open, revealing Angel.

"What are you doing here, Dylan?" she asked.

"He's back?" Fang's voice called from a distance.

"Meet Anya," I said. "I rescued her from the School. She's my true perfect half," And, from here, I could see Max's chocolate brown eyes lock onto mine with shock. They held nothing for me anymore. She could just be my friend now. Why didn't this please anyone? I stepped inside, Anya right behind me.

"You came at a bad time," Angel said apologetically. "Dr. Martinez got her heart broken just a few minutes ago."

"Really?" I said. "What happened while I was gone?"

"Not much." Max replied. I gave her a curious look.

"I highly doubt that," I mumbled, looking over at Iggy and the Gasman. They had an almost completed bomb sitting on the floor.

"Someone willing to tell me all your names?" Anya asked, gazing at all the flock members in succession. Ella came into the room and noticed us standing there. After a minute, she sighed and went toward the kitchen, having decided to ignore us.

"You don't really belong here, Dylan," Max said. "Sorry, Anya…why don't you two find a place of your own? Fang kicked him out ages ago," Anya looked at me.

"You never told me this," she murmured, her gray eyes very sad now. No, I screwed up! It was a mistake! 

"I'm sorry. It was my fault…let's go," She sighed and walked out. I was right behind her, hoping I could fix this somehow.


	18. Second Chances

Chapter 18- Second Chances

Max POV

"Why did you just do that?" Iggy demanded, his sightless eyes glaring at me. "Dylan didn't do anything wrong." Nudge nodded in agreement. I noticed Ella in the background, going into her mother's room. Fang came out into the living room with the Gasman, his face impossible to read.

"I...I panicked." I admitted. "I'm sorry. I'll fix this, you'll see." I went out to find Dylan comforting Anya up in a nearby tree. Even with my super hearing it was hard to hear what they were saying. Using my stealth skills, I climbed the tree and sat on a branch near Dylan and Anya.

"What do _you_ want?" Dylan asked in a sour tone. I could see none of the boy that used to be in love with me in those turqoise eyes.

"I came to apologize, if that's alright with you." I said. "What I said was stupid, wrong, and just plan mean. I'd be happy to have an addition to the flock. And, truthfully, I kind of missed you following me around, Dyl." He glanced at Anya, who hadn't said a word this whole time.

"It's up to you...after all, you used to be with them." Anya said. He nodded and looked at me again.

"Are you sure, Max?" he asked. "After all we've been through..."

"I'm absolutely sure. Come on inside. I bet Mom is up for some cooking."

_I doubt it, Max,_ Angel interrupted in my head. _She looks pretty heartbroken. Iggy says he'll cook some homemade pizza later. Don't worry, we'll find Garret and teach him a lesson about messing with our flock._

Dr. Martinez POV

It seems I was meant to have my heart broken over and over again. I was done with emotions. Garret was going to pay. But he probably had friends. An idea started to form in my head; a dangerous one too I might add. But that hardly mattered at the moment. Ella came into my room.

"Mom, are you okay?" she asked softly. "I know you loved him, but he's a jerk."

"I'm fine. Listen...you want to get him back just as much as I do. I need you to do something for me..." I whispered my plan in her ear. Her eyes got wider and wider when she realized what I was up to.

"The School?" she exclaimed, her face alarmed. "I can't go there. Max said it's a horrible, horrible place!"

"We're going to need to get wings, superpowers, the whole deal," I continued. She started backing out of the room.

"Mom, I think you need to listen to what you're saying. This is a permenat change. I don't think you should go through with this." I ignored her, already coming up with a map that showed California.

"If we drive eight hours per day we should get there in two or three days." I said, examining off road routes to where I thought the School was located. Ella sadly shook her head, but I took no notice, highlighting the fastest route possible from my home in Arizona to the border of California. I had no idea where to go from there, but it was a clear start and I could ask Max for help later.

"You are losing it, Mom, I'm getting Max!" She whirled around and ran out.

"Good, tell her I need her help." I called after her. Perhaps this would make me more useful. I could be more than just a mom to Max, which was what I've always wanted but didn't even dare voice in my head for fear that Angel would think badly of me. Secretly, having wings had always been appeal to me ever since I had first even met Max. But every time I brought it up, Ella just gave me a disapproving stare and walked off. I just got this...indescribable feeling when I saw Max take off into the air for the first time. As if I tried hard enough I could have that freedom too.

Ella POV

I went into the living room but didn't see Max anywhere. Fang was in the middle of a Guitar Hero game against the Gasman, and it looked like he was winning. Interested suddenly, I paused and watched them for a few minutes.

"Aww, man! I lost again!" Gazzy complained, tossing his guitar controller aside. I picked it up and selected my player without saying a word.

"Great, a new challenger." Fang gave me a half smile. He selected a random song on Expert. I chose medium for my player. Then, together, we began to play "Striken" by Disturbed. Fang's long, pale fingers flew up and down the buttons with ease. I concentrated on my side of the screen, soon getting a 50 note streak then 100 notes in a row before I knew it. Fang hadn't missed a single note yet, and his score was almost double to mine. I had to do something to make him mess up. Then the door opened.

"Hi, Max!" I called. Fang momentarily glanced at the door, and missed several important chords. I smirked at him and activated my Star Power. Within a few seconds, my score climbed past 100,000. Fang frowned a little, but otherwise did not reveal that I was beating him at this game. I was aware of Max watching us somewhere on the couch. I watched as the final notes faded away and the words Player Two Rcoks! danced around on the screen. Fang sighed and tossed the guitar aside, evidently not willing to admit out lout that I was better than him at this game.

"Nice work," Max commented. I grinned at her.

"Want to try?" I pointed to the available controller. She hesitated, glancing at Gazzy, who was still sulking in a secluded corner by an unfinished bomb Iggy happened to be working on at the moment. Then my mom walked out, looking ready to leave the house.

"Oh no," I murmured, reading the determined expression on her face. Dylan and Anya walked in, oblivious to my qualms entirely.

"Who wants to destroy the scientists once and for all?" Mom said, looking around at everyone that was in the living room, that is, everyone except Nudge, Angel, and Total.

"Don't do this," I moaned. I had such a bad feeling about what Mom had in mind.

"Yeah, let's go." Max declared, getting to her feet. "I'm ready to kick some white coat butt!" That was when I realized there was no stopping this madness. Hey, if you can't beat them, join them. That was they said, right? Besides, having wings probably wasn't all that bad. I've always wanted to fly like Max got to all the time. This was my chance to shine. Angel and Nudge came out, having heard Max's shout.

"Where are you going?" Nudge asked. "Is it the mall? I want to come!" She looked eagerly at my mother.

"The more the merrier," was all she said in reply. Iggy and the Gasman finished up the bomb and tucked it away into a bag.

"Let's get packing, then!" Max said. Fang went off to his room to find his rucksack. Nudge and Angel ran down the hallway, haphazardly starting to get the essentials for travel. Max went into the kitchen, her own rucksack having magically materialized in her hand. Dylan and Anya stood there, looking very out of place.

"I have a bad feeling about this..."Anya murmured.

"You're not alone on that. I'll find the three of us some spare bags to put supplies in. I don't think we can stop my mom." She had gone into another room, so luckily she hadn't heard me.

"That's okay. Anya and I are flying seperately. She's a good fighter, too." I shrugged. I would probably be driving with my mom, so any arrangement worked with me. They left the house, murmuring fighting techniques to one another the whole way out. I went into my room and grabbed my cell phone, knowing I'd definitely need it just in case. Then I found a bag and started shoving clothes into it: shorts, jeans, socks, underwear, and especially shirts. Once it was halfway full I carefully slid my laptop and chord inside, getting a feeling I'd need that as well. In the kitchen, I put peanut butter and nuts in the front pocket for the occasional snack along the way. I took one last glance around the house, which was empty all the sudden. Finally, I went outside to meet up with the others. Why did I have a feeling that we might not come back?


	19. Flock vs Garret vs Vet

Chapter 19- Flock vs. Garret vs. Vet

Max POV

Mom and Ella were driving some dozen miles back; we had to keep a slower pace so they could keep up on the journey ahead. Ten hours of flying, and we only just reached the border of Arizona.

"Max." Angel said. I scanned far below me, searching for a place to land. It looked like this was going to carry on into the next day.

"Max, I have to tell you something." I looked at her.

"What is it?"

"I-" Just then, Eraser and Flyboys started surrounding us from nowhere. Instantly everyone started to defend themselves.

"Tell my mom we'll be running a little behind." I told Fang. He nodded and swooped down toward the mini van creeping along the highway below. Then I spun around, ready to fight.

"Max..." Gazzy said nervously.

"Yes?" I called.

"Look," He shakily pointed at the lead Eraser. On its back was, you guess it, Garret.

Dr. M POV

"Mom, Fang says they're running behind schedule!" Ella called from the back. I paid no attention, concentrating on the road, rather than my emotions. Huh. Guess I'm Max's mother after all. Did it have to take my heart being broken in order for it to be even more so than it already was?

"What's the holdup for them?" I asked after a minute.

"An ambush, no big deal for them really,"

Max POV

I flew over to meet Garret. This ought to be good. He smiled smugly, thinking he had the upper hand.

"What do you want?" I said. "We're in the middle of something important. Oh wait. You don't cae. So, here to join us, or do your little friends have something else in mind?" He paid no attention to my snarky comments.

"Max, I broke your mother's heart because I had to lead her to the School. She needs wings for an upcoming battle. You have to save the world, right? Well, think of this as a little assistance." I didn't think, I just acted. I swung back my fist and punched Garret with all my might, feeling nothing as he plummeted toward his death.

_Max, this isn't you! Max...you aren't a killer!_ With a sigh, I swooped down just before he could slam to the ground.

Fang POV

It was incredible to watch Max punch Garret off that Eraser, and even more incredible to watch her powerful wings flapping, pulling him back up into the sky. She was glorious, graceful, and more beautiful than I had ever seen her. And I loved her with every fiber of my being.

"Why did you save me?" Garret slurred, spitting out blood.

"I am not a killer," she said simply. "Now leave, and let us attend to our business, or rather, what you wanted us to do all along." Within a few minutes all the Erasers and Flyboys were gone, disappointed at the fact that a fight was unnecessary.

"I don't think we should let Dr. Martinez go to the School," Nudge said uncertainly.

"No going back now," Iggy murmured. "That's where Garret thinks we're going..."

"But if it helps Max save the world, isn't going there a good thing?" Angel spoke up. Nobody appeared to have an argument to her statement. So, facing the horizon, we continued flying, despite the fact Nudge continually complained of hunger, and Gazzy was starting a breath holding contest in the clouds with Iggy. I flew with Max, wondering what we would do if we ended up in cages, possibly for good this time. I knew Max would say that that sort of thing wouldn't happen ever again, but what if it did? She is always so sure of herself, never considering the alternate option, otherwise known as the one she doesn't want. Finally, when it looked like everyone was about to collapse from hunger and exhaustion, Max gave her mom a call and told her to meet up at the closest McDonald's. After a hearty meal, most of the flock went to sleep in Dr. M's van. Max remained behind, making herself comfortable on the ground. I sat down next to her.

"Why did you leave, Fang?" she murmured. "You love me enough, don't you?"

"'Cause I'm stupid," I said, grinning.

"No I am being serious!" she hissed, glancing anxiously at the van in case she woke up anyone in there.

"Max, I was afraid," I admitted in a shameful whisper. She didn't say anything. "I was afraid of you, of love, of trust, and most of all, I was afraid that if I held onto you too tightly, you'd slip away like all the other times. But no more of any of that. I'm here for you now." Once I started talking it seemed like I couldn't stop. All the emotions I kept bottled up for over a year came tumbling out into the open. Max stared and stared at me, as if I had just confessed that I was emo after all.

"Fang..." I was shocked to see that Max had tears in her beautiful brown eyes. "Why didn't you just tell me these things, instead of causeing me to do this?" She pulled back her jacket sleeves, and there I could see very faint scars that spelled out COME BACK FANG. The tears spilled over, and suddenly she was sobbing into her hands. I pulled her toward me, stroking her hair. Then I told her something that I didn't say very often.

"I know you won't believe me, but I'm more sorry than you could ever imagine. I'll do whatever it takes to make it up to you, Max, I swear," She quieted down a little, starting to fall asleep against my chest.

"I love you," she whispered sleepily.

"I love you too," I murmured, watching my surroundings for as long as I could keep my eyes open.


	20. The Truth About the School Pt 1

Chapter 20- The Truth About the School Pt 1

Max POV

"We're here," I whispered to the flock. "Nudge, shut down the alarms. I'm going in...Mom and Ella are up ahead."

"I'm going with you," Fang insisted, following me inside. I almost doubled over with the all too familiar chemical smell that has haunted my nightmares for years. Fang's breathing seemed too loud compared to the almost silent air conditoning softly blowing through the hallway.

"Gazzy got the bombs ready?" I breathed in his ear, afraid that even a piece of dust would be some sort of alert system to our presence. Fang nodded, ever so slightly.

"Angel'll give us a heads up on any danger." he mumbled. I didn't say anything, scanning the area for said danger. Then I spotted Mom approaching a room often used for tests on experiments. I followed her, briefly wondering why Ella wasn't there. But then I instantly shrank back when I heard other voices besides my mom's inside the doorway.

"Who is in charge of this facility?" my mom demanded.

"Uh...ma'm, that is classified information." White Coat #1 said.

"Do you realize what you're doing is illegal?" my mom continued angrily. "I could have the CSM sent in here to stop you at once!"

"I don't think that is possible," White Coat # 2 told her. "You see, the Director pays a good amount of money to keep us in business, and higher officials would hate for that flow of money to suddenly...stop."

_**They're planning to experiment on her. Now's the moment to find a way to shut down this place for good.**_ I exchanged a glance with Fang. He understood at once and ran off to find who was in charge of the facility. I was about to take a step when I heard shrieks of pain coming from the end of the hallway.

"MAX!" Ella screamed. "Get me out! I don't want them to-" Her cries were suddenly choked off by something.

"I'll go help her!" Iggy shouted, climbing out of a nearby air vent and landing on the floor. He ran off toward the source of the noise.

"There are experiments everywhere, Max," Angel told me, jumping down from the opening. "Let's go rescue them!" She went one way, I went another, unlocking every cage I could find. Some experiments broke free, the ones who knew what was going on. Others hesitated, as if unsure whether this was real or not. I gave them an ancouraging shove out and moved to the next room, repeating the process. By the time I had opened three rooms of cages, I had a whole fleet of experiments following me around. I turned to face them.

"Free the others, then get out of this place!" I ordered. "Trust me, you deserve it."

"Max!" Angel cried out. "Nudge found something!" I discovered Angel and Nudge looking at something on the computer in a nearby room.

"What is it?"

"It's..." Nudge couldn't seem to get the words out.

"The scientist are going to change _themselves _as well," Angel whispered, her blue eyes wide with fright. To make things even better, the alarms started blaring.

"Thought you shut down security," I muttered, trying to change the subject before that piece of news could sink in.

"I did. That's the fire alarm."

"Let me guess...Gazzy's arrived on the scene," Angel nodded.

"Don't worry, there's not really a fire," she assured me.

"If it's Gazzy getting involved, fire is the least of our problems," I said. "Now let's stop those white coats from turning into mutants!"


	21. The Truth About the School Pt 2

Chapter 21- The Truth About the School Pt 2

"That went better than I thought I would," I said. We were now in cages, locked away so that we wouldn't casue any more trouble. My mom and Ella were, of course, nowhere to be found. At least Iggy was here, instead of in some unknown location.

"They are still being experimented on," Iggy said. "I'm sorry, I tried to stop them,"

"It's okay, Ig, you did your best," I assured him.

"Max? What do you think is going to happen to Ella? And your mom?" Nudge spoke up.

"I don't know..." I mumbled. "I'm getting out of here," In three seconds flat, my cage was unlatched and I was standing on my own two feet again. Fang followed suit. It seemed that nobody else was able to figure out their locks, so we reluctantly left them behind and went out of the room.

"I hear something...think your mom is this way," Fang murmured. Several hours had passed since we entered the School. It was close to dawn, I could feel it. Fand moved off down the hall, probably going to rescue my mom. I continued walking, listening for Ella's voice or breathing. Only a few rooms down, I simply swung into a room by chance, and found her there with wings sprouting out of her back and facedown on an experimentation table. Tube of all kinds came from machines and stuck into variuos places on her body. She looked very pale and drawn with pain, but alive and conscious.

"Max," Ella croaked. "What did they do to me?" I noticed her wings were exactly like mine, except darker at the tips.

"They...gave you wings," I murmured. "Now you'll never get to be normal again." Ella barely reacted to this news. The door banged open. I was unsurprised to see a white coat standing there.

"Relax, I was sent in here to be in charge of things," I lied smoothly. The white coat was unconvinced, of course, and ventured into the room further. Mistake number one.

"Get back to your cage," he ordered. "You aren't authorized to be in here," He left the door wide open with his back to it. Mistake number two. I cracked my knuckles. The white coat didn't seem to be taking the hint. Three strikes, you're out. I kicked him in the chest with all my strength. The guy slammed into the wall with a loud bang and slid to the floor, unconscious on impact. I thought I heard his spine crack along with several ribs. He didn't look alive anymore...but then I heard a low moan and sighed with relief. I was no killer. White coat taken care of, I turned around and started yanking the tubes out of my sister.

"Where's Mom?" Ella whispered, struggling to her feet. She had to lean on me for support.

"Fang's getting her out. You're going to have to learn how to fly pretty quickly, because that's your ticket out of here." Ella nervously glanced at her wings.

"Why did they do this to me?" she asked.

"It's all about me saving the world. They seem to think having you and Mom as part of the flock will help me."

"I don't want this," she whispered sadly.

"I don't either," I muttered. "Now let's get out of here. First of all, Nudge and the others will be wanting out of their cages. Then we'll meet up with Fang and Mom. Lastly...we escape."

Fang POV

"No...don't..." Dr. Martinez moaned. It was getting harder to carry her, but luckily Iggy had gotten out to help me, having heard my thoughts from Angel.

"Damn, she's heavy," Iggy panted. "Good thing we aren't flying, right?" I ignored him. Dr. Martinez was starting to wake up. I could see that she had dark brown wings that had ripped out of the back of her jacket, which now hung it tatters along with her shirt. I took off my own shirt and put it on her, hoping this would help matters. Dr. Martinez slowly opened her eyes. Fang let her fall to the floor. Iggy leapt back, a little startled by this.

"What...what happened?" she moaned, trying to stand up.

"You have wings now," I said. "Looks like you got what you wanted."

Max POV

"Yay, we're free!" Nudge cried out, climbing out of her cage. Angel and the Gasman followed suit. Iggy's cage was empty.

"Iggy went to go help Fang," Angel explained. "Now, let's go find them. Ella was able to walk a little easier now, but it was clear that she was still in a lot of pain.

"Alright, let's go," I said. The others grinned at me, ready for action.

"Max, I still can't fly!" Ella protested.

"You got wings?" Nudge exclaimed. "Wow, really? How does it feel? Are you excited? I bet you can't wait to learn to fly for the first time! I remember when-" As Iggy was unavailable to quiet her down, Gazzy slapped his hand over her mouth, making a nice subsitute for the task. She pulled his hand away, getting the point.

"Iggy still has better aim than you," she said sniffily. "And he's blind!" This started an argument between Nudge and the Gasman the whole walk over to where Fang, my mom, and Iggy were located. Angel whispered instructions in my head, which I followed very carefully. Finally, we managed to find them without being seen by anyone, a very unusual thing.

_**The scientists are at another facility performing experiments on themselves underground. Only a few remain here to watch over the other mutants.**_

_Thank you, Voice,_ I mumbled in my head.

"Max, what are we going to do now?" my mom asked.

"First off, you two need a flying lesson. How do you like being pushed off a roof?"

**AN: YAY! Another update!**


	22. Flying Lesson

Chapter 22- Flying Lesson

Max POV

"Alright...now that we're here, let's get started," I said, doing a silent head count to double check that assumption. Ella looked eager to get started. My mom, on the other hand, was another story entirely.

"Mom, I promise, this is easy," I assured her. "Just jump off and flap." Ella gleefully leaped off the roof. Everyone was silent, an unusual thing for them. Five seconds passed, then ten. Mom nervously glanced over the edge. There was no sign of Ella. I was about to jump after her when, all the sudden, I could see her steadily swooping upward, her wings desperately flapping in an effort to remain airborne.

"I'm flying!" Ella shouted. "I'm really flying!" My mom took a few steps forward, but didn't look like she was about to join my sister any time soon.

"Sometimes you need a little...push!" I said, pushing my mom off the roof. She screamed, plummeting toward the ground. Ella stared in shock at me, nearly forgetting to flap for several seconds. I sowly counted the seconds. Mom did not resurface.

"Max?" Angel asked anxiously. "You might want to-" Then my mom was flying. It looked harder for her, but at least she wasn't going to die.

"Mom! You did it!" I grinned at her. Ella joined my mom. I was still getting used to the fact that they both had wings.

"How is this possible?" Mom exclaimed.

"It's instinctual," I replied. "You want to come back down?" Sher shook her head.

"Let's go!" Iggy said. "I want some lunch!" Everyone else did a running takeoff with ease, and we all flew in search of the nearest McDonald's, taking a break every hour so that my mom and Ella could rest their new wings.

"So, this must be what you feel like all the time, when you're flying," Ella said when we had landed a third time.

"Yeah, I guess," I replied, trying not to let it all go to my head. It was Gazzy who located the first McDonald's for miles. I glanced around at everyone then ordered enough for perhaps twelve normal people, but it would be just enough for us. Funnily enough, I ordered at the drive through. The girl handing us the bags gave me a strange look, but seemed to have nothing to argue against it all.

"Why are you wearing Fang's shirt?" Nudge asked once we were in the air again. Everyone ate during the flight. Iggy didn't even complain that his burgers didn't have pickles this time. Food didn't come nearly often enough that none of us wasted time with such trivialties.

"Because my shirts don't normally have openings for wings," my mom replied logically. "As for Ella...I suppose she got lucky and the scientists gave her a specially designed shirt for her own wings."

"I thought ahead and already put slits in mine!" Ella shouted. She was somewhere in the back, with Gazzy and Iggy. Angel was towards the front, by Nudge and my mom. Fang, of course, was right by my side.

"Aren't you mad at the scientists?" Fang asked me. "They changed your only family forever. The only way they can be normal is by cutting their wings off."

"Of course I'm angry...but it's the kind of anger you can do nothing about." Recently I decided to be at least a little more open with Fang. There wasn't a point with hiding anything from him.

"So, have you thought about what I said the other day?"

"Not really."

"But do you forgive me?"

"Sort of. A part of me will always wonder why you left, but since you already told me..."

"I know what you mean." Everyone always has those questions that already got answered, but sometimes it never seems like enough of an explanation. I finished up the last of my McNuggets and threw the crumpled up bag into a nearby cloud. There was just something satisfying about the action. Everyone else had finished their meal, it seemed, and Mom was having a hard time keeping up. Fang and I slowed down to give her a chance to catch up. Angel was humming softly to herself, acting like a normal seven year old for once.

"Let's go somewhere more...private.." Fang said. "I see Dylan and Anya. I'll go tell them to watch over the flock. Meet me at the cliff." He flew off toward an approchaing pair of winged children. I recognized Dylan's mop of blonde hair, and even saw a flash of red reflected in the sunlight. Using my super speed, it only took an hour to reach the cliff. Now I only had to wait.

Dylan POV

"What are you doing here?" Fang asked me.

"Oh, Anya appreciated the fact that Max apologized to us, but we decided to do some sight seeing," I explained. "We were actually going to Canada, but a storm blew us off course."

"What's up?" Anya asked.

"Max wants you two to lead the flock back to Dr. Martinez's house in Arizona," Fang instructed. "I'm meeting up with Max at the cliff." With that, he was gone.

"What was all that about?" Anya inquired as we flew over to the rest of the flock.

"No idea...but do Ella and Dr. Martinez have _wings_?"

"Hi, Dylan!" Nudge called. "Look, we have two new flock members, Iggy!"

"Oh, I wish I could," Iggy said.

"It's me and Anya," I announced. "We just happened to be passing through...Max and Fang went to go have some alone time."

"I bet they needed it," Angel said.

"Can we have a break?" Dr. Martinez panted. She seemed to be losing altitude. "I don't think I can take this much longer."

"Come on," Anya said. "This way," Ella and Dr. Martinez followed her to some rest spot several miles away.

"I wanted to see what toothpaste and gasoline would do if we encased it, like this," Gazzy explained. "You feel that? It'll be strong, durable in most conditions."

"Cool, so could we use the other thing too?" Iggy asked.

"Sure, do you have it?" I ignored them, uninterested in the ways of bomb making. Meanwhile, Nudge and Angel were discussing the supposed wonders of Twilight, verses the fantasy world of Harry Potter.

"But Harry Potter doesn't have vampires!" Nudge argued.

"I do not care for sparkling people who don't even bother to use proper fighting strategy," Angel said a little snobbily.

"So they use sticks that can hurt people, who cares?" Nudge shouted. Angel gave her a death glare that Max would be proud of. Speaking of, where was she? And why did she suddenly decide to leave her flock with Fang right before I showed up? Maybe it was just a coincidence. Surely she couldn't have seen me from that distance; her eye sight wasn't as good as mine. Though Max was probably unwilling to admit it, I was better at everything than her. It wasn't my fault, exactly, I happened to have been designed that way. But I did so happen to have one weakness...Anya.

Max POV

"In here." Fang said. I followed the sound of his voice. He was currently invisible, so I had to use my other senses to find him. Suddenly, I was knocked flat on my back, and Fang was visible, on top of me. He gave me a half smile and kissed me.

"We haven't done this for a long time," I said. Fang responded by kissing me again and again, and I kissed him back just as fiercely. It was a very long time before we had to resurface for air, which, shockingly, was very important for survival. His hands moved a little further down than I would have liked, but I wasn't complaining. Fang was _mine_, and no one else's. He was the only person I could actually be selfish with and have nobody demanding that he be taken away.

"Would...you want...to try..." Fang panted in between kisses.

"Try what?" I murmured, lost in his onyx eyes. They told so much and so little all at the same time. He pulled me further into the cave, wrapping his wings around me as if to hide me from the world. Since when was I only half dressed? The thought floated away before I could make sense of it, and then it was nothing but Fang, Fang, and more Fang all around me in so many ways I never thought possible.

_Later..._

Our breathing was sychronized, even, and quite relaxing to listen to. Hours must have passed. The others would be home by now. Fang was silent, what else is new? But is was more of a relaxed silence than an unconfortable one.

"Someone is coming," Fang said suddenly, sitting up. "Get dressed, I'll go meet them." I scrambled to get my clothes in an acceptable position.

Anya POV

"They have been gone for a while." I noted. The girl called Angel nodded, reaching for another cookie. Ella was outside with her mom enjoying her new wings. I wondered when she had gotten them, and how.

"She is with Fang." Angel said. "They will probably be back later today, or tomorrow."

"What was with that, anyway?" I asked.

"I'm not sure. Fang's thoughts weren't very clear...he wanted to try something..." Angel frowned in confusion, but I understood completely.

"Don't worry about it," I assured her. "I'm sure they weren't doing anything dangerous,"

"Maybe new flight techniques with the hawks?" she guessed, talking more to herself than me. I pretended to agree, though I had no idea what she meant by that.

"Max and Fang are home!" Gazzy shouted, running into the kitchen, caution aside in his excitement. The nine year old leapt onto the kitchen counter with ease, upsetting the plate of cookies onto the floor. Total, the winged dog Angel admired so much, huffed and wandered off into the living room.

"Who is that with them?" Nudge asked. "I've never seen-"

"Shh!" Angel hissed. "I'm trying to concentrate." She narrowed her eyes at the stranger. She had already eaten her cookie. I had no idea when she'd done that even though I was sitting next to her the whole time.

Max POV

"Where did you come from?" I asked.

"The School." That was all the information I needed. The nameless mutant followed us inside. She had no wings, but somehow she had gotten to the cliff.

"What should we do with her?" Fang asked. "Dr. Martinez doesn't have endless room in her house."

"I'll figure something out," I said. "Let's just get something to eat. I always think better after a good meal." Mom and Ella came inside, discussing their first flight in hushed tones. I saw Nudge and Angel in the kitchen with Anya, staring at the mutant like they had never seen someone from the School before.

_'Max, she is only going to be here tonight and leave tomorrow'_ Angel thought to me. I glanced knowingly at Fang. He lead me to his room. I was very concious of the fact I had nearly betrayed myself in my thoughts to Angel. Images of what we had done earlier flashed in my mind, and suddenly I was glad that Angel didn't understand. Some things were better left unsaid...which probably explained Fang's near mute life a whole lot more now.


	23. Hide and Seek for Help

**AN: Good news, bad news. Well I shall display bad news first. I don't own Maximum Ride. Oops, that one was obvious, so it's obvious that I'm glad for a second update in the same day. Anyways, before I spew out too much stupidity, I appreciate all the reviews, especially those funny ones from Live In Today, which weren't annoying at all by the way. I'd like to see more reviews like that from you, Live In Today, it seems to suit you.**

**Two in one day...I know, I have no life...its because I have NO ONE to talk to most of the time. So fanfiction is basically my life. Original stories too, but not nearly as much, more recently lately. Yup. This is the charmed life of a bored teenager with nothing to do.**

Chapter 23- Hide and Go Seek(for Help)

Max POV

So, some six or seven days later, none of us had gotten kidnapped, injured or killed. A complete miracle.

"Max," Angel called. "Come on outside already!" The myterious mutant vanished a few days ago. The Voice kept insisting there was still one last test, the one where I actually save the world, but I continually ignored it, wanting to be happy and panic free for once in my life. So it came to me as a surprise when Mom turned on the news that evening, distracting me from the game Nudge wanted us all to play for some mundane reason. We played our own version of hide and seek which was quite entertaining for us mutants. Since Mom and Ella were now among the world of said mutant children, they were permitted to join.

"...sudden tornado ripped apart whole buildings not to far from the border of Arizona-" My mom turned off the news, sighing in relief. I wondered what that meant. A lot of weird weather patterns had been going on in the area lately, but a _tornado_?

"Alright, let's go play your silly little game." she said. We went out to the front yard, where everyone else waited, sitting in a circle. We also had an interesting way of picking teams. Instead of two team captians coming forward on their own, we played a mini game first that decided everything, a popular but pointless game of "Rock, Paper, Scissors" which seemed to be the fairest way. Angel was exempt, as she was a mind reader and could easily crush us all in an instant. First it was me against Fang, who lost. I went up against Ella, who also lost. It went like this until Gazzy beat me with paper. I was out as team captian number one. Gazzy lost to Fang in one stupid move. Fang lost to my mom. My mom beat Ella and Nudge, then happily stood up to be on Angel's team. Since Angel was a mind reader, she wasn't allowed to be leader of any group, but just the second person of the first group. By the end of the game, Nudge was with Iggy, the Gasman was with Ella, and I was with Fang, of course.

"Okay, Dylan and Anya are the first group to be It," Nudge said, grinning. "They are counting to one thousand in the kitchen, so we have thirty minutes to hide within a two mile radius of this area." We hadn't played this game since back at the E house, which seemed like lifetimes ago to me.

"One! Two! Three!" I heard counting from inside. Everyone scrambled to find good places to hide. Mom and Angel were first to take off. Iggy and Nudge ran off into the woods nearby. Gazzy and Ella scouted the front yard for any holes in the ground, leaving Fang and I all alone.

"I know a place Dylan will never look," I said, smiling suggestively. Dylan was almost to forty by now. We would have plenty of time. Fang and I snuck back in through the upstairs window, where my room happened to be. We hid under the covers in the large double bed, perfectly comfortabe there.

"Best idea ever," Fang said, giving me a half smile.

"What do we do for the next hour or so?" I murmured. "We're all alone in here..." Fang responded by gently pressing his lips to mine.

Iggy POV

So, lucky me, I get stuck with stupid Nudge of all people to hide with. So far she had been reasonably quiet in this hollow pine tree log. No complaints yet. I carefully listened to my surroundings. No signs of an approach.

"Iggy, is anyone coming?" Nudge whispered. I shook my head. Dylan would probably be to around 300 as far as counting goes right now. Counting to one thousand was necessary, because people like Nudge were likely to change hiding spots every five minutes out of paranoia, and also, this was a big lot with lots of options, so everyone wanted plenty of time to find a proper place. I waited for what felt like ages, but still nobody came.

"This is boring!" Nudge moaned from beside me. I privately agreed but I wasn't about to show any weakness. "Let's go sabatoge other hiding spots or something..."

"I've got a better idea," I said. She was silent for several moments, so I sensed that she was probably just staring at me.

"What is it?" she whispered excitedly.

"How good are you with metal?"

Ella POV

"I wonder if I have any powers," I mused out loud as the Gasman desperately tried to cover up our hole with anything he could find.

"I think that's the least of our worries right now," Gazzy panted, worn out from all the exertion on keeping our hideout less obvious. The area was still smoking from the recent bomb that blew away all the dirt quite easily.

"Well, Dylan's going to take ages, and with his redhead girlfriend being all...clingy on him, there's no way we are going to be found. We are hiding in plain sight." Gazzy sighed, but had no choice except agree with my watertight logic.

"Now, since I'm one of you guys...you're going to have to teach me and Mom how to fight once all of this is over."

"Max won't let you get involved with saving the world," Gazzy warned me, to no effect.

"She can't protect me forever. Besides, it didn't work out so well with Angel, now did it?" Gazzy winced. I had hit a nerve, a major one it seemed. For a while he didn't say anything.

"That wasn't Max's fault...the School did something to her," he replied defensively.

"Much like they did to me and Mom. Now we can't be normal, like I was getting used to ever since I first met Max." Gazzy sighed and looked up at the small openings that showed tiny pieces of the sky.

"Fine. I will teach you the basics, but it's Max and Fang who are our best fighters."

Dr. Martinez POV

"Are you sure hiding on the roof is a good idea?" I asked Angel. "What if this is the first place he looks for us?"

"Trust me, it's going to work out." Angel replied, her mouth set in a hard line of concentration. Suddenly, she stiffened. I looked over the edge and saw Dylan leaving the house with Anya.

"That hole wasn't here before," Anya commented, pointing at a badly disguised hole in the middle of the yard.

"It's probably a trick," Dylan said. "Way too obvious for anyone like Max to hide in...maybe Gazzy's in there."

"I'll look, just in case." Anya scraped aside the leaves, branches, and clumps of dirt. There was a brief moment of silence. She smiled.

"You two are out!" she said. Gazzy and Ella climbed out, grumbling about 'stupid unhidable yard areas' or something like that.

"How can they not see us?" I asked.

"Dylan has a few blind spots when it comes to searching." she said knowledgably.

"Okay, that was easy! Let's split up. I'll look in the lake out back, you check the woods."

"You controlled Dylan's mind, didn't you?" I accused the youngest bird child. She merely shrugged and scanned the area for any signs of another approach, though Dylan and Anya had already left.

Max POV

"Mmm, this is nice," I murmured to Fang.

"And so are your lips," Fang's voice said from the doorway. I shrieked upon seeing Gazzy standing there, staring at my very exposed body. I scrambled to get some clothes on while Fang did his best to hide me from view. Gazzy ran off before either of us could come up with a way to personally end his life right then and there.

"Max and Fang are hiding inside?" Ella called, running up the stairs and finding a shirtless Fang and me tangled up in a mostly clean white T-shirt with specially designed slits for my wings.

"This...is probably what it looks like," I admitted, turning beet red in humiliation. Fang helped me get my shirt on properly. Ella just stared at us in shock. Her face was unnaturally white. I gazed at her uncertainly. Did I just shatter her innocence? But, no, it was something different. Something was wrong...but Ella backed out of the room, covering up her expression, something she must have learned from me.

"That was weird." Fang noted. "Now, why don't you finish getting dressed while I check to see if the coast is clear?"

Nudge POV

"...and then I was all like, no WAY Edward Cullen would die without Bella by his side! She soo loves him more than Jake! I can't wait to read the last book to see what happens!" I babbled. Twilight was such a fascinating series, I just had to tell Iggy all about it. He didn't appear to be listening, though. Something I was used to but never really cared about until now.

"Tag you are out!" Iggy groaned at hearing Dylan's smug voice from outside the log. I shrugged and did a running take off into the sky. Maybe I could find some spare cash and get Max to take me to a book store. Hopefully some fellow fangirls didn't take the last copy of Breaking Dawn...or they'd surely hear the wrath of the Nudge Channel. As I approached the house, I saw Angel and Dr. M hiding on the roof, the most obvious place possible. How strange. Dylan would have surely spotted them right away. Hmm. I could give a little hint to Anya about this, since they weren't expecting her to find them. I was sure of that much. Angel tended to underestimate people, especially me. I may not be smart or strong like Max, but I have my own ways of being smart.

Ella POV

Something was wrong, wrong, WRONG here, I just know it! I couldn't seem to catch my breath, and the walls felt like they were closing in on me.

"Ig..Iggy..." I gasped. "Help...Help! Help me!" My voice barely carried to the other side of the room. Everything spun. I staggered to the door and wrenched it open. Iggy stood there, having miraciously heard my cry for help.

"Ella, what's wrong?"

"I don't..." I couldn't even finish my sentence, for in that moment I sank to the floor, lost in a swirling blackness that had unexpectedly rushed up to greet me.


	24. From Weird to WEIRD

**AN: YAY! I am here to update once again! Guess who I kidnapped to join me on the adventure? Come on! Guess! NO! Not Chuck Norris. I don't think he'd be that gullible...**

**Iggy: Seriously, why the blindfold? I'm already blind! This is an insult!**

**Me: That'll be the drugs wearing off...but that isn't all!**

**Ella: Can I PLEASE just-**

**Me: Shut up! You are supposed to be unconscious! Go back to being half alive or something...hey, where'd Max and Fang go, by the way?**

**Nudge: I know where they went! They were being all loveydovey like Edward and Bella and then they went off to go replicate the beach scene I just read from Breaking Dawn because it is soo awesome, and Angel says the movie will be coming out soon, but I really want to know when because I need to start making my costume for the prem-mmph!**

**Iggy: Thank God! Silence is golden.**

**Me: Shut it, both of you! The readers are here for a story, not a bird-kid melodramatic argument.**

**Fang: Hear, hear.**

**Me: THERE you are!**

**Dr. Martinez: When am I coming back in the story?**

**Me: -facepalm- Seriously...and I thought I was in charge here.**

**Max: Nope, some guy named JP is. I think it stands for Jelly and Peanut Guy.**

**-everyone stares at Max-**

**Me: ...anyway, I'm glad that we nearly reached 40 reviews already. Feels like yesterday when I finally got back to this story...oh wait it was. SO, before we get inter-**

**Iggy: GET TO THE POINT you are worse than Nudge!**

**Me: -sniffles- You were almost my favorite, Iggsters! How could you hurt my feelings like that? -runs away-**

**Fang: Nice. Okay, so she doesn't own us. On with story.**

**Iggy: FINALLY!**

**(line break number one: brought to you by Cheetos and Mountain Dew. It's different on the mountain. And off it too. Not sure why they say that. ANYWAY...)**

Chapter 24- From Weird to WEIRD

Max POV

"I think I heard something," Fang said after a minute. Sure enough, I heard a faint cry from a couple rooms over.

"Whassgoin on?" I slurred, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. After that incident with Gazzy, there was nothing else to do but take a nap in here. Sadly, that dream was shattered by Fang's inopportune moment to actually regain the power of speech. Darn. My methods to keep him quiet weren't working. Sigh...a girl can dream, right? Even if she's got a fourteen foot wing span? Man, that never sounds weird. Anyway, I sat up, and against my better judgement, thought it was probably Gazzy pulling a stupid prank. I tend to do such things when interrupted from a nice nap.

"Let's check it out," I mumbled, stumbling toward the door. It was then I realized I need to open my eyes in order to function properly, unlike Iggy, where such an action was redundant.

**(line break number two is sponsored by Walt Disney World, where the magic is about as real sprouting wings and fly-wait a second...)**

I walked out into the hallway with a still shirtless Fang and found Iggy bent over Ella, who was currently on the floor, unconscious.

"Should I call off the game and get Mom?" I asked, but at that moment my half-sister began to stir slightly. I sighed in relief, just as there was a cry of outrage from the roof. A few seconds later, two pairs of feet landed on the ground and came running toward the house. Ella opened her eyes and sat up, gazing at Iggy like he was her hero or something. For all I knew about this, he probably was.

"Okay, what happened?" I asked them.

"I just felt really weird," Ella said. "And then I called for Iggy...I'm not sure what happened after that." Before I could respond, I heard a bang from the living room downstairs. Fang and I exchanged a glance, then ran down the stairs to see the door practically hanging off its hinges. My mom was staring off into space. I could see Angel running for the woods.

"Found you," Anya called. "I'll go get Dylan and tell him you and Fang are counting for the next round."

"I'm out, I guess," my mom said. "Angel doesn't look like she is coming back."

"No, Ella and I are counting." Gazzy argued, appearing at the top of the stairs. "She and I were found first."

"Fine by me," I said. "Mom, you can be in my group until Angel gets her act together. Now all we have to do is wait for Dylan to get here."

Angel POV

None of them understand...I wasn't controlling his mind, I swear! If I was, none of it was on purpose, it was like-I have no idea, but all the sudden, Dylan wasn't looking over, and I just kept staring at him, like it was important he didn't see me. Maybe he was being stupid, I don't know, but Dr. M didn't look like she believed me. So, I left, probably breaking the door with my hasty exit. Before I could get very far, however, I slammed into Dylan, who was headed back for the house. He was soaking wet.

_Can't believe I didn't bother to check the roof to see if anyone was hiding there..._

I sighed in relief. So it wasn't me at all, just a coincidence! Now I could explain it all and be on everyone's good side again.

**(This line break has broken due to the fascinating bombs made by Gazzy and Iggy. They got so annoyed with the offensive comments of this line break that they decided to blow it up with Max's approval. Then they all danced around the fire like it was actually a good thing but really-beeeep your time is up.**

**This line break was made by Nudge)**

Max POV

"Why does this day keep getting weirder?" I asked out loud as Fang and I went to find a new hiding place. Angel was still nowhere to be seen, but my mom assured me that she had come back at some point. Too bad I decided to leave before it actually mattered to me...that kid was starting to freak me out. I mean, really? Controlling Dylan's mind just so she could win a stupid game? Iggy made Ella stay inside, so it was just me, Fang, my mom, Angel, Nudge, Dylan, and Anya finding a place to hide. Gazzy and Nudge were counting to nine hundred to make round two a smidge shorter. It was actually another thing about our hide and seek game. Every round was ne hundred numbers less of counting before the seeking. Fang and I decided to get more creative and build a false hideout, then hide somewhere completely unexpected.

"Angel's using her powers for selfish motives again," I said after we had finished up with the place we would 'hide' in.

"Max, she's not going to be sweet and innocent forever," Fang warned me.

"She isn't that now!" I shouted at him, tears stinging my eyes. "What happened to my precious baby that got kidnapped by the chopper a couple years ago? What happened to the girl who just wanted to go picking for strawberries? What happened to her being my favorite? What. Happened. To. Her." I was sobbing now, to my mortification. Fang just hald me and rubbed my shoulders for comfort. He always knew what to say, even if he never said it in words...

"The School changed her somehow, and there's nothing we can do about it." Fang told me once I had calmed down. I couldn't argue with that statement. So, locking away my emotions, I took off into the sky, my best friend and soulmate right behind me.

Dr. Martinez POV

It was amazing, despite Gazzy's attempts to be clever by ending his counting session over two hundred numbers too soon, I still managed to find a place to hide right under his nose. Angel hid up in her room. How obvious. Though she had told the truth about not trying to control Dylan, what with all I heard about things which happened with her in the past, it was hard to believe her. And even harder to forgive her, even though she had done absolutely nothing. All I knew was, something had happened. Or maybe nothing had happened at all, and we were all going crazy thinking the exact opposite. Now I understood why Max was always so paranoid about everything. It started with something simple, like a look. Next its your friends, and your neighbors, and soon the whole world is out to get you. I had to shake off this feeling before it took over me. _Nothing_ happened. Am I the only one who felt so weird about this? Probably, since no one else really knows.

**(We will be back after this short line break. Haha. Get it? 'Cause it's a...line...break...God, you people need a sense of humor)**

Ella POV

"What happened to you earlier?" Iggy asked me for the umpteenth time. I sighed, running out of possible answers.

"Look, whatever happened, I'm fine now, so can we just forget about it?" I snapped at him. My head was really starting to ache. Didn't Max used to get headaches like this? I never bothered to ask, but I heard stories about it in the past.

"You're right, Els, nothing we can do about it now," Iggy muttered. "Just let me know if you start feeling weird again."

"Gee, well, I still have to get over my muscle aches from the fact that I have _wings_ and can actually _fly_, that doesn't make me feel weird at all!" I grumbled sarcastically. Oh my God I was turning into Max. The Apocolypse was coming. Anyway, Iggy didn't try asking the same question again and just left me alone in the room, making me regret my recent attitude. Well, not my fault, this stupid headache suddenly came on and decided to bother me a little since I'm not normal anymore. Speaking of...wonder where Max is hiding...WTF I have the attention span of a flea right now! I need to apologize to Iggy, explain my behavior, something to make him forgive me. But the stupid headache I just mentioned. Yeah, that one. It started getting worse. Suddenly, forgiveness was the last thing on my mind. Where was my mom's medicine cabinet, by the way? No doubt she had aspirin somwehere. I went into the bathroom downstairs, one I had only entered twice in my lifetime.

The mere size of the room never failed to amaze me. I couldn't allow myself to get distracted by details, however. I was here for one thing, and one thing only. A pill. Wow, don't I sound like a junkie now. I found a bottle of Advil and swallowed four pills dry.

"What are you doing in here?" I shrieked and dropped the bottle. Small white pills scattered all over the perfectly clean off-white tiles. I looked up to see Angel standing there.

"I had a headache," I managed to choke out, too frightened to come up with any sort of excuse like Max did when something was wrong with her.

"I see...but isn't this of limits?"

"I'm sure she won't mind me-um-borrowing some medication," I said uncertainly. My heartrate was starting to slow down, so it was a little easier to think. She gave me one long, searching look and left the bathroom. I sighed in relief and started to clean up my mess.

"Need some help?" A pale hand reached out with the bottle. I smiled and looked up into Iggy's sightless eyes.

"S-Sure..." With Iggy's help we finished in less than a minute. So many weird things had happened today, leaving me completely exhausted, starving, and just plain tired of everything in general. And it wasn't even sundown yet.

**AN: Well, that about sums up things around here...I was in a random mood today so I decided to coordinate it with my fanfiction, and what better place than the place NOBODY suspects?**

**Max: You make no sense.**

**Me: SHUT UP! Do you want me to push Fang out the window? His wings are tightly wrapped up with a year's worth of duct tape and I don't think you want to see a broken bird kid.**

**Max: I'm in love with Iggy anyway, so go ahead.**

**Iggy: I KNEW IT!**

**Dylan: I thought you loved ME, Max. We still have a chance!**

**Anya: **_**Excuse me?**_** I'm right here, soulmate!**

**Me: Oh, crap, why does this always happen it me? -runs away-**

**Me: -faintly, from a safe distance- Review please, before they kill me for taking them from Arizonaaaaaaa... -voice fades out-**


	25. Piano

**AN: Here is to the link of the song being played: ****.com/watch?v=99GyFmnH59s&feature=related**

**By the way, SO SORRY about the lack of updating here. I wasn't very inspired...and you probably don't care, so here is the next chapter anyway-**

**Iggy: She also doesn't own me**

**Angel: or me**

**Max: or me**

**Me: OKAY THEY GET IT!**

**flock: ...**

**Anya: What about me?**

**Me: I think you are an exception, honey**

**Anya: Umm is that a good thing or a bad-**

**Fang: Oh shut up and get on with the story already!**

Chapter 25- Piano

Iggy POV

_A few days later_

I came to a sudden halt, hearing the familiar sounds of a piano several rooms over. I drifted off toward the source of the noise. Gentle broken chords swirled around the room, their beauty intensified by a damper pedal. I didn't know much about the piano, but I could definitely tell when someone was talented at it. _Who is that playing? I must know... _

So, being beyond curious at this point, I moved closer. The wonderful piece came to an end, and whoever was in the room spun away and left in a haste. I carefully felt the piano seat. It was warm...did not imagine that, I know someone was here. _Should learn a song on the piano. Maybe it would impress Ella._

"Iggy, what are you doing here?" I recognized Nudge's voice from behind me.

"I was wondering who was playing the piano," I said. There was a lingering scent of familiar perfume.

"Come on, we have to finish our game. Round seventeen, only seven hundred seconds to hide this time. Max is it and-"

"Alright, I'm coming!" I snapped. "Just give me a minute." Nudge sighed and stomped out of the room. Trying to make me feel guilty, I suppose. I ran my fingers over the keys, wondering why, despite my enhanced senses, I couldn't figure out the mystery person at the piano.

Max POV

I was getting bored with hide and seek, so I decided to go find Iggy and tell him the game was off. Room after room after room...my mom's house was huge. Well, at least the new safe house in Arizona, that is. This one was practically a mansion. Some halls were wide enough for us to spread our wings, while some were so narrow they were a tight squeeze even for Angel to walk down. The design of this place was awesome. We moved here last night after another Eraser attack so we'd be a little safer. Almost everyone had healed from the surprise invasion...Fang was hurt badly, though, especially his wings. He wouldn't be able to fly for another day or so.

I wandered through still more rooms, and nearly ran into Ella, who appeared to look nervous and scared about something.

"Ells, what's wrong?" I said, forgetting about Iggy for the moment.

"N-nothing," she stuttered, looking everywhere but at me. I glanced down at the floor and saw some sheet music had fallen. I bent down to pick it up, and that was when I noticed the title. _Moonlight_. The notes scurrying across the page made no sense to me, but I just gathered up the remaining pages anyway and handed them to my half sister.

"Thank you." She ran off to another area of the house, leaving behind a faint scent of her perfume. I heard the plunking of piano keys nearby, almost as if they were trying to imitate something.

Ella POV

That was a close one...I couldn't have anyone know about my ability yet; it would be dangerous if the wrong people found out. Great, now I was turning into Max. See, yesterday while I was at school and the others obviously have given up on education, I discovered my learning curve had exploded to 300 percent my previous capability. What was once hard was now beyond easy for me. I had decided to test a piano piece I had never seen before to see how well I could play it. Of course, the second I finished, Iggy was standing there, listening in on me. Until I figured out how to use my ability for something useful, it had to remain a secret. So, I panicked and ran off.

Once I was sure nobody knew what I was up to, I slunk off toward the piano room again, but was shocked to see Iggy there, trying to imitate the piece I had just played.

"Why can't I get this right?" Iggy shouted at nothing. I meekly stepped forward.

"I can help," I said softly.

Dr. Martinez POV

I smiled at the fact the piano in this new house was being used already. Wait a minute. Ella didn't know how to play the piano. She hasn't had a single lesson. Yet, as I walked in there, she was definitely playing as if she'd known how to her whole life. _What could this possibly mean?_ Iggy was there, attentively listening to her. I decided to leave them be. Besides, for all I knew, Ella could have suddenly turned into some kind of a genius after all those headache attacks she had gotten over the past few days.

_**Dr. Martinez, you are right**_ a voice sounded in my head. Angel. Of course she'd know, she happened to be a mind reader. How awfully creepy of the eight year old to choose this moment to invade my private thoughts.(**AN: Yes she is eight. Remember Chapter 12?)**

What do you mean, Angel?

_**Ella has gained a major learning curve and can now learn things almost instantly, which is why she can play the piano and also happens to have super good grades at the moment.**_

Well, that was a large piece of information that Ella could have told me in person, but I suppose I wouldn't have believed her at first. Then again, she was no longer human, so what did I know about normal anymore? I wasn't human either. A difficult concept to get around, but at dinnertime it was easier to see with everyone always being so hungry. Including me. This was...hard to deal with at work.

Since today was Saturday, we could all enjoy our wings together. I still couldn't get over the fact I could _fly_. I went outside and found Angel, Gazzy, and Nudge playing a game of freeze tag together, sometimes jumping over each other with wings outstretched or shoving someone to the ground and running off in an effort not to get the same treatment in return.

"Mom! When did Ella learn to play the piano?" I turned to see Max standing there. _My daughter..._It really was strange how I came to know Max. I remember it more clearly than any other day in my life before things had changed. Ella had come home, talking wildly about this girl that had suddenly dropped in and saved her. I listened to her, wondering where the girl had come from. Hours passed. I didn't think anything else of it.

Then Ella comes running up to me, a little wet from the rain, saying the girl from earlier needed help. So, being the kind person I was, I brought the girl-Max I later learned, into the bathroom to treat her. Then there was the matter of her having wings. Somehow, it explained everything.

"Earth to Mom!" Max exclaimed, snapping me out of my reverie.

"I have no idea, honestly," I told her. She sighed and shook her head. Max was a lot more like me than she thought...she just had to look more closely. I went to go answer a call from one of my collagues inside, wondering if I was meant to have wings or if it was all a mistake on my part.

**AN: Pointless, I know...it was more of a filler chapter. I hope you liked it anyway! Sorry for the long wait!**


	26. Ambush

**AN: Hooray another chapter! Celebration time!**

**Max: ABOUT time**

**Dr. M: I don't get it. I thought I wanted wings...?**

**Nudge: Where's the chocolate cake Iggy made? I'm hungy!**

**Gazzy: Hehehe...**

**Max: What are you-**

**BOOM!**

**Me: S***! What are you guys doing in there?**

**Angel: I think we should evacuate.**

**Total: Noo! We are all going to die! I'll miss you Angel! Tell Akila I love her! Tell the children I'll miss them so much!**

**Fang: Shut up, Total.**

**Me: O.O IT SPEAKS!**

**Fang: -facepalm-**

**Ella: We are getting off topic, I believe mysterywriter has something that needs to be said.**

**Me: School's cancelled?**

**Max: What a relief.**

**Ella: Not exactly...**

**Me: OH! I know!**

**Ella: You do?**

**Me: No not really. But I was convincing, right? Hey, where are those hallucinations of Fang's, anyway? I wanted to see if they'd show up.**

**Fang: Hey! My friends are real!**

**Ella: Um, guys...**

**Me: Don't you remember, from that other fanfiction...you and Max had a fever, right? I thought you guys never got sick.**

**Ella: mys-**

**Fang: Mysterywriter, that never happened.**

**Me: Squee, you said my name! Not my real one, I'd never tell you that, but I am all excited now!**

**Ella: ALYSSA! The disclaimer**

**Me: GREAT now people are going to get suspicious, Els, I didn't want you to-**

**Ella: Seriously before I tell them what your full name is.**

**Me: I wish I did own you guys though. The fun Fangy and I could have...**

**Max: Hey!**

**Fang: Fangy?**

**Total: I think this has gone on long enough...**

**Angel: The house is on fire. I think we should-**

**Iggy: I GOT IT! I GOT IT! -gets fire estiguisher-**

Chapter 26- Ambush

Max POV

After lunch that day, I decided to go find Mom and see if she wanted some good mother-daughter bonding time with a one on one flight or something. Life was settling into something normalish these past few days at the new house, so it couldn't hurt to let down my gaurd a little bit.

"Max, I have to talk to you," Ella said as I ventured toward the front door. Well, it was about time. My sister had been very quiet the past few days, mostly keeping to herself. Outside, I could see Gazzy, Angel, and Iggy chasing each other around. My mom was not there.

"What's up?"

"It's about my new ability...I have a major learning curve, but I have no idea how it will be useful if something happened." By _something_, she probably meant Erasers or white coats. Learning curve, huh? Well, that could be very convenient.

"I know what to do. Come with me." I lead her to my room, where my computer sat there waiting.

"Just look up some fighting techiniques, and I'll be back later." I left the room and went off in search of my mom.

"Hey, Mom, where are you?" I called, my voice echoing down the long hallway. What are we going to do with all this space, play hide and seek while its raining?

"In the kitchen." I sighed in relief. That was only a few halls over. I went into the kitchen and found my mom taking cookies out of the oven.

"Did you need something, Max?" She turned off the oven and started putting the cookies on a plate so they could cool off.

"I was womdering if you could go for a fly with me or something." She gave me a hesitant smile. I frowned. Something was wrong.

"Mom, something you want to tell me?"

"I..."

"You wanted wings, right?" She looked guilty, apologetic even.

"This is all my fault," she mumbled. "I'm sorry. All you wanted was a normal mom and now...I failed you." I leaned over the counter so I could get a good look at her face.

"Mom, you could never fail me. I don't care if you grow a second head, you're still my mom, and I couldn't be any luckier to have someone like you as part of my family." I smiled at her. Mom looked relieved.

"Alright, well, why don't go outside? I want you to show me how to do a proper takeoff." All the sudden, there was a loud scream from outside.

Nudge POV

"Give me back my shirt!" I shrieked at Angel. Her blue eyes widened in shock, as if she hadn't expected me to be here. The mind reader, surprised? Or perhaps I really did look scary. No matter, she had no right to take my clothes!

"I...Nudge..."

"No! Give it to me, now!" Perhaps that was a little much, but I didn't care.

"Behind you!" The last thing I registered was something hard slamming down on my head.

Angel POV

An Eraser stared down at me, grinning evilly. I tensed up, preparing to fight. Unfortunately, another Eraser grabbed me from behind, covering my mouth before I could scream. Max ran out with her mom, staring at the scene before her. Nudge was tied up, her head stuffed into a sack so she couldn't see anything when she woke up.

_Max, help us!_

"Take that!" Iggy shouted, but halted when a third Eraser lazily pointed a gun at him. Iggy tensed up when it clicked threateningly. Gazzy was unconscious, being tied up by a Flyboy.

"Mom, I hope you took karate," Max muttered, running toward the closest Eraser. Behind her, another Flyboy dropped down and knocked a bat over Dr. Martinez's head. She collapsed at once in a heap. Man, this new batch of mutants must be really strong. I struggled to get free, but the hairy Eraser held me tight. Max started punching the Eraser holding Nudge over and over. It didn't seem to be doing anything. He laughed and pressed a cloth over her mouth. Her eyes rolled back in her head and she sank to the ground.

I'm sure we all would have fought back had we not been taken by surprise. Iggy stood stock still, listening to his surroundings. All of this happened in almost complete silence, and in less than five minutes. But it felt like an eternity.

"Get the boy," one of the Erasers growled. "I'll handle this little one. You there, take care of the mess when you're done." The smell of Eraser made me want to throw up. I tried, once again, to get free, but it was useless. This version of them was too strong for me.

Too...strong...can't...fight...a cloth was pressed to my mouth and it all went black.

Ella POV

I slammed the laptop closed after an unsuccessful Google search for the past ten minutes, thinking that Max would be the best teacher for fighting, not a computer. But when I came out, nobody was there. I was alone. I heard the distanct sound of a chopper. I remembered all the things Max had told me about the School, and even recently going to the awful place. I thought of the way she fought, and suddenly knew exactly what to do. I couldn't do a running takeoff, though. Or could I? Maybe if I just tried, I'd be able to, since I was able to learn things so quickly now.

My feet pounded against the ground, and before I knew it I was airborne, my wings beating steadily like I had done this my whole life rather than just a week or so. Now, to find the closest School...


	27. Distracted

**AN: OH CRAP I ORGOT ABOUT FANG!**

**Fang: I feel so loved.**

**Me: Aww, you do?**

**Max: Yes, by ME.**

**Me: ...my dreams are shattered again!**

**Fang: It was JP's idea and not mine, or yours, or anyone else's so stop crying in the corner and get on with the story.**

**Max: Fang, that's the most I've heard you say all week at once.**

**Fang: ...**

**Me: ANYWAYS, you'll probably be wondering where Fang has been this whole time. I will answer your question with this next chapter, mrs obsession.**

Chapter 27- Distracted

Fang POV

"Will that be all, sir?" I glared at the checkout lady trying to hit on me. Screw Dr. Martinez for making me do the grocery shopping. Don't they know any of them could be attacked at any time? Of course not, because Dr. M doesn't realize the dangers of being a mutant. Sigh, how I've tried to tell her but she never listened to me. Sure, don't listen to the guy that hardly talks. I snatched the groceries and went to find a safe place to take off.

"Dr. Martinez, I'm back," I called, coming inside after the five minute flight. Nobody was in the kitchen. Or the den. Or any of the bathrooms, bedrooms, closets, and various rooms I had no idea were even used for. Out in the yard, I noticed something on the ground. A feather. It was pure white. Angel. I crushed the feather in my fist, seething with anger. How dare they take my entire family while I was away? The white coats will pay for taking Max from me! I growled, gripping the feather even tighter to the point that my nails broke skin and blood stained the pure white feather. I ignored the pain and took off into the sky.

"Max, I'll find you, I promise," I whispered.

Max POV

"I hate my life!" I growled at the bars of my medium sized crate.

"Max, don't say that," my mom sighed.

"We're in a science lab where we'll be subjected to experiments that could kill us! How could you possibly be calm?" I realized I was shouting and made myself shut up.

"Why does this always happen to us?" Iggy said in a dead tone.

"I don't know, Igsters," I sighed. Nudge and Angel were in another room, unforunately. Fang was not here with us. Huh, come to think of it, I hadn't seen him since this morning. How did I not notice that until just now? I really needed to pay more attention.

"Anyone want to play a game?" Iggy asked after a silence.

"We could play Picnic," I offered unenthusiastically. "I'll start...I'm bringing Angel to the picnic." Iggy smiled a little.

"I'll bring bombs-"

"No you're not!" I interrupted.

"I'm bringing cookies," Mom said. None of us were surprised at this.

"I'm bringing Dylan?" I suggested, running out of ideas.

"Elephants," Iggy said unexpectedly.

"Flowers."

"Grass."

"Hammers."

"Iggy."

"J-" The door opened, interrupting what I was about to say.

"Oh, we were in the middle of a game, by the way," Iggy said loudly as a white coat came into the room.

"The smell is making me sick," Mom commented. "Does it smell like this all the time?" What a time to be asking a question like that.

"Yes," Iggy and I replied at the same time. This white coat appeared distracted, though, and paid no attention to our conversation.

"I am here to escort Maximum Ride to the experimentation room," the white coat said in an odd voice. There was something off about him. Like he was hypnotized or something similar. But, no, he just lead me to the examination room, as promised, where I saw...

"Angel," I breathed. The eight year old gazed at me silently. She nodded at the white coat, who left the room.

"Ella and Fang are coming for us," Angel said. "We just need to gather the others and wait on the roof."

"Did you-"

"I had to, Max. This place is so confusing there was no other way to find you." I nodded, deciding it was easier to accept this news rather than argue with her about the proper ways of mind controlling. I'd prefer it if she didn't have this ability at all, but what choice did we have in what powers we got?

"Now we need to get Nudge, Gazzy, Iggy, and Mom."

"I don't know where Gazzy is," Angel whispered fearfully. "I think they may have taken him somewhere else."

"But why? What would they need him for?"

"I heard some thoughts going on about giving a few of us new powers. Not me, because I already have more than enough. And definitely not your mom. They must have no further use for her. Nudge and Iggy are a possibility..."

"Alright, so they have to be somewhere close. They can't just not be here. Did you search the thoughts of everyone in the School?" Angel shook her head sadly.

"Everything's all...jumbled. My arm hurts." I saw a needle sicking out of her arm. I yanked it out, wondering what they had done to her.

"Jumbled?" I mumbled. "What do you mean, Ange?"

"C-Can't...it hurts." Angel wrapped her arms around me and whimpered. "M-Make it s-stop!" She sobbed into my chest. I held her tighter, knowing she must be in terrible pain. But in the end all this kept us distracted from the larger matter at hand: escaping.


	28. Plans

**AN: YAY I have decided to update once more...only a few chapters left.**

**Disclaimer: STOP IT! For the last time I don't own MR.**

**Ella: Calm down...jeez.**

**Max: I am sick of ending up at the School. Can't we go somewhere more fun, like...Disney World?**

**Me: Get back in the story!**

Chapter 28- Plans

Fang POV

I landed silently on the School roof and quickly located a way in. Not long after I got there, Ella made a somewhat clumsy landing beside me.

"What are you doing here?" Ella asked.

"I was shopping and when I came back, everyone was gone."

"Find a way in yet?" I nodded and pointed at the skylight.

"Good. Let's go."

Gazzy POV

I managed to get out and find Angel and Max in just fifteen minutes. They were trying to find an easy escape from the examination room.

"Gazzy!" Angel shrieked, throwing her arms around me. "I thought we lost you!"

"What? They were only trying to give me new powers," I said in confusion.

"I couldn't hear your thoughts," she said.

"Oh, that...weird, huh?"

"Where's Nudge?" Max asked, looking around the room wildly.

"Here," I replied in Nudge's voice.

"Not funny," Max growled, glaring at me. I shrugged.

"Maybe she was in the same room as me?" I suggested, trying to be helpful.

"Not likely," Angel said. "I think everyone got seperated. Iggy's on his way over. I already gave him instructions."

"Knowing Fang, he's probably on the way," I added.

Ella POV

Fang kicked at the skylight. The glass shattered and rained down on the whitecoats, who covered their arms over their heads like the world was ending. It was an awesome sight to see. I located some machines hooked up to Nudge and quickly realized what they were doing. We jumped down and started to take down the white coats together, with Fang correcting me if my stance was wrong or warning me about an incoming blow. Soon, all five white coats were unconscious and tied up.

"I'll figure out how to destroy these," I said to Fang. "You go find the others." I started kicking at the first machine, with little results other than a very sore foot. Fang sighed and pressed a red button that said POWER. I did the same to the rest of the machines while he ripped all the tubes out of Nudge.

"I got her," Fang said. "Go." I ran out of the room, ignoring all the glass crunching under my shoes.

Max POV

"Okay, report," I said. "Gazzy?"

"Here!" the mimicer called.

"I'm here," Iggy announced, walking in.

"Me too," Angel spoke up.

"Who are we missing?"

"Your mom, Ella, Fang, and Nudge," Iggy listed.

"Alright, well...we already know Fang's on the way. So all we have to do is rescue Mom and Nudge and get out of this place." If only it were that easy. The door banged open.

"Stop! You are not authorized to be in here!" a white coat shouted. I sighed. As if they thought we'd actually listen. Everyone took their positions. Iggy, who was closest, kicked the guy roughly in the chest. He went flying back and slammed into the wall, then slumped to the floor. He moaned and didn't get up.

"Let's go, before anything else happens," I said.

"Max!" A figure stood in the doorway, blocking our only exit.

"Ella?"

**AN: Super short I know but we are almost to the end! I just had to get some more of the flock back together.**


	29. Together We Fight

**AN: SORRY! But here is an update...finally. I've been focusing on other stuff and getting lazy on my other stories. My bad! The fan fiction I'm writing now is getting so good that I'm almost obsessed with it.**

**Disclaimer: I UNDISH the claim that I own this series in any way shape or form and swear that all these characters will be brought back to JP very soon.**

Chapter 29- Together We Fight

Max POV

A short time later, I managed to gather everyone up and do a quick head count: Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gazzy, Angel, Mom, and Ella. Okay, good to go. The second we tried to leave, we were swarmed with Erasers, Flyboys, M-Geeks...every enemy we've ever come across in the past two years surrounded us.

"Now would be a good time to learn how to fight," my mom said, her voice shaking a little as she silently counted our enemies. Everyone took their fighting stances. Gazzy started tossing bombs toward the hard to reach Erasers while Ella and Iggy teamed up off to the side. I started punching my fare share of Erasers and Flyboys till my fists were numb, then I moved on to kicking and shoving and anything else I could think of. But then, an Eraser clubbed me very hard on the head. I went down, hard, and knew no more.

Fang POV

I boiled with silent anger, taking in the sight of the grinning Eraser, an unconscious Max, and a pool of blood around her lifeless form. I started pummeling the monster with all my strength, ignoring the ache of several broken ribs and possibly broken fingers. I'd fight for Max. But then, as I took a low blow to my gut, I was left breathless and slightly off balance. The Eraser contiued smirking at me. I let out all the air in my lungs and took one last swing. Finally, he was down. Dr. Martinez was unconscious as well. Most of our enemies were either too injured to fight back or down for the count. Nudge was being tended to by Iggy. Ella and Gazzy fixed each other's wounds. Angel quietly stood there, examining her surroundings. I dropped to the floor to see if Max had a pulse. She had one, but it was weak.

"Max looks pretty bad," I said.

"What's the verdict?" Iggy asked, using a word he learned from TV.

"Blood is everywhere. She got hit on the head pretty hard."

"Max wouldn't let that-"

"I know. She was taken by surprise."

Ella POV

"Nudge?" I asked cautiously.

"Yeah?"

"Does Iggy still talk about me a lot when I'm not around?"

"Yeah, he thinks about you all the time. Sometimes I have to get him to shut up about him because he's so obssessed. I still think, gross, boys? No way. Not me. Not yet. Maybe if we go to school again I might try but not now. I'm only thirteen."

"Okay. Cool. Thanks, Nudge." I smiled at her.

"Gazzy, we have a problem," Angel said.

"Wha?" He looked up.

"Max is dying." Smart mind reader say what?

"You're joking!" I exclaimed as Mom came to her senses. "Max doesn't die..."

"She did once, as a test to us. Another test is coming up soon. But if Max doesn't survive we'll fail anyway."

Max POV

"Max is dying," Angel announced. Um, no I'm not! But of course nobody paid attention to me.

You're joking!" I heard Ella shout. Jeez, she about shattered my eardrums.

"She did once, as a test to us. Another test is coming up soon. But if Max doesn't survive we'll fail anyway." I'm sick of these tests. Come on, don't I deserve a break now and then? But, before I could say anything in my defense, the world slipped away from me again, and I was left with nothing. Not even myself.

Iggy POV

Being blind sucks sometimes. I mean, if I could see, I'd be able to find Max's injury a whole lot quicker. Unfortunately, it took over a minute before I could find the right place to wrap the gauze.

"Is she going to be okay?" Nudge asked. Obviously, nobody was listening to Angel, especially after the last time she said someone was going to die.

"Of course she will," I replied, standing up. "She's Max."

"No, she is more than that," Dr. Martinez croaked from off to the side. "She's Maximum Ride."

"A real Maximum Ride," Fang said. I could hear the grin in his voice.

"That's my line!" I cried out, smacking him on the arm as he got closer. There was a brief silence.

"I'm rolling my eyes, Iggy," Fang told me. Oh. Excuse me for not being able to tell. But, whatever. Nobody understood life in the eyes of a blind kid, so who am I to be kidding around like this? I ignored him and listened to my surroundings.

"We need to get Max to wake up," Dr. Martinez said. "She could have a concussion, and we wouldn't want that if we're trying to escape." I nodded and drifted off to where I thought Max lay on the floor.

"Iggy, Max is over here." Angel called. Where? I can't see, dummy!

"Don't make fun of me," Angel sighed. "Let me help you find her." So, together we can fight. But without Max, are our abilities ever going to be enough? I frowned, now deep in thought. Max was always so sure of herself, even when she really wasn't. She put us flock members above her own needs-her own health, in fact. I thought back to when Max had those awful brain attacks. She acted like nothing was wrong, but the pain was clear in the way she whimpered and ground her teeth. Max was stronger than anything-heck, she even survived a fake expiration date. Who knows what would be thrown at her in the coming months?


	30. In the End

Chapter 30- In the End

Fang POV

"We have to find Garrett and put a stop to this madness!" Ella exclaimed once we arrived back at home.

"I agree," Iggy blurted, glancing hopefully in the direction of Ella's voice. Dr. Martinez quietly tended to Max's head injury, having gotten the point that the hospital was not the best place for us bird kids to be.

Ella POV

"We need a strategy," I said, looking at the others.

"We don't even know where he is!" Nudge complained, slumping onto the other couch.

"Why don't we look this guy up, then?" Gazzy suggested. "Maybe he has some kind of hideout or something."

"Good thinking," Iggy agreed. "We could blow the place up." Angel got out Max's laptop and started typing.

"What did you find?" Fang asked, speaking for the first time since we escaped the School. Angel frowned, staring at the computer screen.

"Not much...he's just a regular guy that happens to be in power."

"Keep looking. There has to be something." Angel added more to her search.

"So, you want to go for a fly while everyone's relaxing?" Iggy offered. I nodded and followed him outside.

Max POV

Ouch. My head really hurt. What...? I stuggled to get past the pain and was definitely not succeeding there. Right, I was stupid enough to let my gaurd down for one second. For awhile I couldn't focus on anything but the pounding in my head. Then I was aware of voices.

"Why don't we look this guy up, then?" Gazzy said. "Maybe he has some kind of hideout or something."

"Good thinking. We could blow the place up." It wasn't hard to figure out who said that.

"What did you find?" I heard Fang ask some time later.

"Not much," Angel said. I wondered what they were talking about. Certainly not Jeb, he's dead. I was getting bored with listening to everyone like this. Things got quiet again. I was aware of gentle hands near my head. Then they were gone.

"Unggh..." I still felt terrible, but it was time for me to wake up and find out what was going on.

"Max!" Nudge squealed. I winced and considered going back to that void of blackness.

"You're awake," Nudge said at a reasonable volume. I opened my eyes and looked around. While I was out of it, everyone had managed to get out alive. Iggy and Ella weren't there, but I'm assuming for the moment that they were outside or something.

"Nudge, why don't you find Iggy?" Fang suggested. Gazzy wandered off to his room. Nudge went to do as Fang said. Clearly, he wanted a moment alone with me.

"How's your head?" Fang asked casually. I rolled my eyes.

"Just get to the point already," I told him. "I know you too well. You don't beat around the bush."

**Disclaimer: I like crackers and NERDS(the candy)**

Chapter 30- In the End

"That is true. I wanted to talk about...us."

"What about it?"

"You love me, and I love you." I felt a little flutter in my heart as he said that so causally, as if it were plain fact.

"Yeah?" I tried to be casual as well, but I could feel my heart hammering in my chest, seeming to amplify my aching head.

"But when I left you went crazy."

"I wanted to find a way to bring you back."

"So, I can't ever leave again, can I?"

"No, not really."

"But...we also can't be together."

"Why?"

"Think about it. The last time we were together, the flock was put in the background." I vaguely remembered those days.

"Fang, come on. We're more responsible than we were back then. Once we destroy Garrett and his cronies we can do what we want." In the end, it will all work out. I'll do my best to prove it. When Fang didn't say anything, I got to my feet in frustration. I thought he had truly loved me. But for the second time I was wrong. I had to stop letting this happen to me. Maybe it was best if something changed.

"Fang, I think you should go."

"Okay." He didn't argue. He didn't apologize. He just got up and left. No note, no anything. I blinked, and he was gone. In the end, I lost who I was fighting for. In the end...I lost the game. And that hurt more than the fact he was gone. I slipped down into that black void again and didn't come up again.


	31. Realizations

**AN: *reads reviews, cringes* Awe, you guys must think I'm a horrible person for doing this to Max and Fang! But mostly Max. There is a reason for everything...**

**On a lighter note, thank you for the support that has let this story reach 50 reviews!**

Chapter 31- Realizations

Fang POV

"Stupid, stupid, stupid!" I growled, punching my fist in the tree over and over again. It seemed I never learned my lesson. Now everyone was going to hate me. I didn't blame them one bit. Which is why I wouldn't be coming back. At least, not for a while. I'd send a message on my bold to the flock, then go off and finish the mission for them. Maybe, just maybe when I come back they'll understand why I left this time. I pulled out my laptop and began to type.

_Dear flock(but mostly Max),_

_I know you guys must hate me right now for leaving again, but before you stick your needles into those Fang dolls, just hear me out. Max asked me to leave to sort things out. So, that's what I'm doing. Also, I am going around to look for Garrett in order to destroy him and his little crew of scientists. I probably will be gone for a year or so. Don't look for me, because I won't be found._

_Max, sweetie, I love you more than anything in the world. I am so sorry that I've hurt you this many times. I don't blame you for not forgiving me, but can you at least understand? You know me better than anyone. The seperation is probably killing you, but I'm not enjoying it either. It has to be done, though. While I am away, I want you to do something for me. Every time life seems to be getting too hard for you, or you just can't deal with things, read my blog. I'll always have something positive to say to you. Max, my Max, I don't know what to say to make this up to you, but I'm more sorry than I could possibly express._

_Iggsters, don't be upset. This was all for the best. I promise to bring back as many bomb supplies as I can carry for you and the Gasman. You're a pretty great guy, don't you forget it. Ella is a lucky girl. Don't let her get away from you. I know you too well for you to be making such a stupid mistake._

_Nudge, the fashion queen, wipe those tears. I won't be gone forever. Take care of Angel for me, because I know Max won't be able to stop thinking about me until I get back. Oh, and I left a surprise for you on your bed, go check it out now if you want to._

_Dr. Martinez, when I return(and mark my words, I will) please don't kill me. This was something that just had to be done. If not today it would have happened another time. You understand, at least more than Max does, right?_

_Last, but not least, Angel. Honey. Don't use your mindreading powers. I'll be too far away most of the time for that, and even if I am in range...you'll just end up hurting yourself trying to read my mind. Behave for me, okay? I know Max loves you best(next to me, though after my little stunt I'm not so sure)._

_The days will fly by if you find things to do in order to not think about me too much or too fondly. Go to school or something. I'm sure that will take your minds off of things. The 365 days will be over before you know it. I know I don't typically say this, but I love you guys. More than you'll ever know. Especially you, Max. You're beautiful, strong, independent...you are my...soulmate. I hope you know that._

_I'll be back soon. Don't you worry. That is a promise._

_Fly on,_

_Fang_

Now, it was only a matter of time before this was seen. I posted the letter, packed up my laptop, and flew off without looking back. To my horror, a tear trickled down my cheek at the thought of not seeing Max for a whole year, knowing she was alive. This was worse than believing her to be dead, because she could change her mind about me at any time. I hoped that she would understand.

Max POV

Fang was my ultimate soulmate, didn't he understand that? He had to come back. There was no question about it. That was the only thing keeping me from falling apart all over again. I lay there on the couch the next day, mindlessly gaping at the television screen, not really paying attention to what Angel was watching.

"Max?" my mom queried hesitantly. "Where is Fang?" Whoops. Good feeling was gone. I stared up at my mother with blank eyes.

"He didn't leave again, did he?"

"Dr. Martinez, look at Fang's blog," Nudge said, saving me from having to respond. "He left us a letter. Well, mostly Max, because he loves her, but it's for us too, and you and Ella because you two are also important-"

"Nudge," my mom interrupted. "Get everyone in here and read it."

"Um..." She gave us all a sad look as we gathered around the computer. "You guys aren't going to like this." Angel read Nudge's mind and nodded in understanding. Iggy looked confused. Gazzy...well, he was my little trooper. The nine year old-no, ten year old, put on a brave face. Ella clung to Iggy in a way I wish I could do with Fang.

"Just read it," I growled, prepared for a repeat of last time he had left me. Nudge nodded and obliged.

"_Dear flock(but mostly Max),_

_I know you guys must hate me right now for leaving again..._" I zoned out, not wanting to hear the rest. It would be the same as last time.

"Max, this part is about you!" Nudge blurted, snapping me out of whatever stupor I had peacefully sunk into. "Alright, this was what he had to say...get over here so I know you're paying attention!" I sighed and did as I was told. She glanced at me then started reading again.

"_Max, sweetie, I love you more than anything in the world. I am so sorry that I've hurt you this many times. I don't blame you for not forgiving me, but can you at least understand? You know me better than anyone. The seperation is probably killing you, but I'm not enjoying it either. It has to be done, though. While I am away, I want you to do something for me? Every time life seems to be getting too hard for you, or you just can't deal with things, read my blog. I'll always have something positive to say to you. Max, my Max, I don't know what to say to make this up to you, but I'm more sorry than I could possibly express._" I stared and stared at the words before me, hardly believing that this was Fang who wrote such a thing. Nudge continued reading the letter, but I wasn't listening anymore. Something fell back into place just then. I didn't feel so empty. Maybe things would be okay, or at least not completely horrible.

**End of Day 1 without Fang. 364 days left to go.**

**Day 2 without Fang...**

"A whole year, huh?" Angel said the next morning after everyone had gotten over the initial shock of Fang's letter.

"Actually, three hundred sixty-three days," Iggy corrected, entering the kitchen to make breakfast. _Much too long,_ I thought. But I had to find some way to get through this.

"How's it going, Max?" Ella asked me. I just shrugged, not really looking at her. "It must be real hard having to be without Fang again."

"He and I made an agreement," I replied carefully. "Everything should be fine." But it wasn't. Funny how my life always turned out this way, huh? My life was the one that always had to suck, while everyone else was happy-go-lucky...but without wings. Then I remembered something from Fang's letter: "_I'm not enjoying it either. It has to be done, though. While I am away, could you do something for me? Every time life seems to be getting too hard for you, or you just can't deal with things, read my blog._" Huh, maybe I should. Fang seemed to really want me to be happy. So, I went online after an unusually quiet breakfast to check out his blog like he asked. A video waited for me to watch right on a page labeled "For Max." I pressed play and relaxed in the rec room chair.

"Hi, Max," Fang said, smirking into the camera. My heart skipped a beat upon seeing his face again. "If you are watching this, I'm guessing you got the letter. Well, from now on, every day that I'm not here, I'll post a video diary so it will be like we're never apart. And at the end of each one there's a clue. Pay close attention, because it will mean there is something for you to find that I'm giving you.

"Today what I want to talk about is feathers. They're pretty important, seeing as I'm part bird myself. But sometimes I lose them, just like any other bird. If enough of them molt, well, interesting things happen. I bet a bunch of my feathers got left behind in that place we stayed back in Africa. Remember that, Max? It was when Angel said I was going to die. Good thing she was wrong. I don't like the sound of dying all too much. Do you think we could go there again some day? I sure hope so. Fly on, Max."

My mom walked in to find me sobbing over the computer. She gazed at me curiously, then glanced at the computer screen to find Fang's websiste sitting there.

"Oh, Max...what did he say this time?"

"He...he really loves me," I blubbered. A part of me felt humiliated to be found like this, but I could never hide anything from my mom. After a time, I managed to calm down, feeling more like myself again. "I'm going to Africa. Fang left something for me there."


	32. Surprises

**AN: The chapter you have been waiting for has arrived...but it is not the last one! I'm going to stretch this out a little longer.**

**Disclaimer: Nope still do not own!**

Chapter 32- Surprises

Max POV

I flew all the way to Africa using my super speed, wondering what was in store for me there. Luckily, it only took me a few hours to get there rather than all day. I landed almost silently in the old campsite from an eternity ago. This was where things began to change without my knowing it. Again. I quickly scanned the area, but didn't see anything.

Fang POV

I landed in the back of the campsite, hidden in the shadows. Change of plans. I held my breath, the bag of feathers at the ready. Very slowly, I laid one on the ground, where I knew Max would find it. The rest was easy. _Making a path..._

Max POV

A trail of feathers appeared out of nowhere. Well, what do you know? Fang was reliable after all. I carefully followed the feathers, wondering what this could all mean. The feathers continued, the path twisting and turning until they finally came to a stop in front of a large cactus out in the desert area. A note sat there at the foot of the cactus. I bent down to pick it up.

_Nice work there, Max. I was watching you the whole time. Get some sleep, there's more in store for you tomorrow._

Fang POV

That night, I cornered Garrett, who was hiding out near our camp. I made no hesitation to beat the crap out of him.

"What do you want from me?" he begged once I brought him within an inch of his life.

"I want you to stop putting us all in misery," I growled. "Now shut down all your facilities, and think about what you've done." With that, I took off into the air, the next surprise for Max already prepared.

Max POV

"Mom, I'll probably be gone for a long time," I said into my phone after a hearty meal of McDonald's in Cairo. Who knew Africa could be so up-to-date in some places? I sure didn't. Then again, for a good portion of my life, I didn't know about life outside of a cage, so there's my excuse.

"What do you mean?"

"Fang told me that there was clues I had to find...I think this might lead me to him."

"Are you sure about this?"

"As sure as I can fly," I replied seriously. "Tell the others I'm okay. I'll call you tomorrow after I've found the next clue. 'Night." Well, it was late here. I snuggled up in the abandoned tent and slipped into a dreamless sleep.

Fang POV

Nothing like flying with the night sky to keep you company. I smiled at the winking stars above me. Now this was true living. The only thing that was better than night flights was...night flights with Max. The world below was so gentle and free of the daytime harshness. It was where life truly began. _Max, I hope you are thinking of me right now...because I want you to know that I love you._

Max POV

I tossed and turned, trying to go to sleep. Then, just as I began to drift off, a dark figure flitted across the sky. A black feather fell to te ground. _Fang._ That was all it took to get me to fall asleep officially.

Fang POV

A new dawn, a new day. I took this moment to watch the sunrise. Then I went off to find breakfast, feeling very at peace with myself. After eating half the resturaunt's food, it was time to get to work. I turned on the video camera and looked around. No familiar surroundings. Just some trees, grass, and pine needles galore.

"Hi Max. I hope you remembered that my new video has come in today. Remember Jeb? Before he betrayed us? He was a pretty great guy until then. Remember where it all began, Max. That is very important." I reached over and turned off the video camera, then started to upload it onto my blog. After it was posted, I took the time to read some of the comments.

_fang4eva: OMG Fang! How romantic of you! I love ya!_

_xxtheflockrulzxx: how could you leave Mac AGAIN?_

_immaflysumday: I really wanna fly with you someday, Fang. Could you make that wish come true just once?_

_Sal: wow really? max is gonna hate you for this_

_cheesyness: omg poor max! fang! ur a jerk!_

_lovableme: I perfectly understand where you're coming from. Just be sure that Max does too._

_max'sgal: The letter touched my heart. You really have a way with words. Fly on, bro._

And so it went. Comment after comment, all of them about me leaving Max. It was about half and half between understanding and hatred. Hopefully this new video would bring some light to my actions.

Max POV- **day 3 without Fang(362 days left to go)**

The power of flight was something quite mystical to mankind, even after the invention of airplanes. Me? Eh, I've got my own pair of wings. I can fly any old time I wish! And there was no way I was taking such a gift for granted. Was the price too much to pay? Well, we'd never know for sure. I ate breakfast and checked Fang's blog for my next clue. He was in a forest of some kind. Huh. De ja vu. Suddenly, I knew exactly where he was. Crap. I have to fly all the way back to America. And I felt sore. The world just loved me? Mucho sarcasm. As I flew, I wondered what other surprises were in store for me.

"Hey, Mom!" I said into the reciever with as much cheerfulness as I could manage. "I'm over the Atlantic Ocean now...don't know how good the signal is here so if I get a dropped call it's not my fault."

"You left already?" Mom asked. "Where are you headed now?"

"Colorado," I replied. There was a silence. "Mom?"

"Sorry, what? I thought you said Colorado."

"What's so important about Colorado?"

"I suppose there is something I should tell you...I've known about avian human hybrids much longer than you think. But I've had to keep it a secret, because at the time I worked for the goverment. They were paying me the big bucks to investigate, but keep my mouth shut."

"So, Colorado?" I asked hesitantly.

"Is where I had to research six avian human hybrids in hiding. I was not told about the School or the Erasers. I was instructed to just go there and collect whatever evidence I could find."

"Was there anything?"

"I never even found the house. It was hidden far up in the mountains. But that was evidence enough for me, so I left. Years went by and I forgot about it. There were some brief news casts about some bird kids flying around, but I paid hardly any attention. Then when you showed up...all the pieces came together, and I just knew you were the one I heard about."

"Why is it that this all seems to make sense?" I murmured. "I remember one night Fang telling me that someone was snooping around. We went to investigate but never saw anyone. To think our paths could've crossed way back then..."

"It really is unexpected," my mom agreed. "But that's life for you. Full of surprises."


	33. Fang's Mistake and Max's Theory

Chapter 33- Fang's Mistake and Max's Theory

Fang POV

I had it all planned out, from the moment I left to the second Max would be in my arms again. Unfortunately, there was a slight...problem. Max was right behind me the whole time so she'd know where I'd be next. I wanted to surprise her. So, I decided to stop making the videos for a few weeks and see how she reacted to that.

Max POV

What. The. Freaking. Heck. Fang never keeps any of his promises. That's it. I'm going back to Mom's house and waiting for him to come back so I can kick his sorry ass later. Pardon my French to those innocent eyes out there.

Dr. Martinez POV

I really miss Max. I wonder when she was going to come home. Then I remembered Fang's blog. I decided to see if there was any updates. I noticed the videos had been discontinued three days ago. _Oh no. Wonder what Max will think of this._

Nudge POV

Iggy had Ella. Max had Fang. I was getting lonely. But nobody would want a stupid chatterbox like me...then I remembered Fang's suggestion about school.

"Hey, Angel!" I called. She looked up at me. "Let's start school next week, okay? I'm getting really bored just sitting around here." Sometimes it was a good thing that Max was away on a mission on her own. She'd never let us do something like this.

"Okay." She got up and went to go find Dr. M.

Ella POV

"So...how can you see so well if you're blind?" I asked, lazily staring up at the ceiling after a long time of us just sharing our love-I mean making out, of course. I'm still wearing the abstinence ring, you know. Iggy shrugged.

"Lots of practice, I guess. And you get used to the darkness after a while."

"Does it ever get lonely?" I felt sad for him a lot of the time. I couldn't imagine being without my sight.

"Not really, anymore. I've got you."

"So, since you're blind, you're like, super sensitive, right?" I was in a horny mood. Haha. Horny. What a funny word. I slipped off the absintence ring, not really caring about rules and parents at the moment. "What _other_ parts of you are sensitive?"

"I really like you," Iggy commented, his face splitting into a full blown suggestive grin. "I knew I'd be able to corrupt you at some point. Come here."

Fang POV

So, now I was screwed. Yup. Definitely, most positively screwed so many times over it is a wonder Max hadn't killed me yet. By the time I made my decision to go looking for her, something told me that she was already gone. Ugh. I am such a retard. What made me think that this was going to be helpful?

"Aggh!" I never learned my lesson. I had to find her. A week had passed since I stopped making the videos. I wondered how the others were doing. No pun intended for perverted Iggy.

Iggy POV

I have no idea why Nudge was so insistent on us getting an education all the sudden. But, whatever. At least Ella and I could flaunt our love in places other than the Martinez manor. Yes, I did say manor. Apparently, being a vet paid well enough for us to live like kings without wings. Haha, get it? Wings? Yeah, I know I'm turning into Max. Anyway, Ella had the same schedule as me, so she could help me with certain things.

"First period is this way," Ella said, interrupting me from my thoughts. She pulled me into a classroom.

Gazzy POV

"Man, why do I have to be here?" I muttered, glaring at the floor while the teacher took attendence. "I hate school." All I wanted to do was build bombs with Iggy and fly around like old times. Maybe when Max came back she could take us to Nebraska or something. I heard there was a paper mill there that Iggy and I could test our bombs on.

Nudge POV

School was great! We had only gone here for a few days, but I've already got a TON of friends! This girl named Valarie told me about something called Facebook and made me an account during lunch time. I've already got seventeen friends on there, including this one guy Rick, he's in my science class and he is SO adorable! Like Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner, only LOADS better! Maybe he is THE ONE! I just know it! But being around him makes me so nervous, so maybe I'll talk to him on the bus today or something. He lives one stop up from me, so I'll have time, since I can totally fly and stuff. But I can't tell Rick, because Max is all paranoid about everyone being Erasers or white coats or something. I don't see what the problem is.

"Hey, um, Rick..." I said on the bus that day. "My name is Tiffany-Krystal. You're in my science class. We sit a few seats apart."

"Yeah," Rick mumbled, staring out into space. "Whatever." I took this as a cue to continue talking.

"So, um, I wanted to ask about the homework that's due tomorrow...I have no idea how I'm supposed to do that. I'm really not all that smart. Thinking is for other people. I was wondering if you'd help me, because I don't want to be more behind than I already am-"

"Fine, whatever," Rick growled, cutting off my nervous babbling. "I'll help you to get you to shut the hell up. God, preps are so annoying." I shut up at once, feeling mortified. I learned that word in English class today. It means humiliated, embarrassed.

"I'm sorry...I just..I just wanted someone to talk to," I muttered, feeling ashamed of myself. Maybe I was wrong about Rick. I was silent for the rest of the bus ride.

Max POV

So, my life sucked more than usual. Without anything Fang-related to look forward to, I didn't exactly have many happy thoughts. But I wasn't depressed. I knew he and I would reunite eventually. This seperation wasn't nearly as bad as last time. At least he and I would see one another again.

"Just let me go, Fang. Or at least...make up your mind." In that moment, I knew exactly where to go. It was an easy place for me to be found.

"Look to the skies, Fang. You know where to find me."

Fang POV

My only hope is that, if Max doesn't forgive me, at least she has the explanation right on the Internet as a reminder. That is, if she even read it at all. I wouldn't blame her if she didn't. I've hurt her way too much. But, that doesn't mean I wont try to win her love back. That doesn't mean I won't fight for her now.

"I'll find you, my sweet." But where, oh where, could she possibly be in the world? My Max could be anywhere from Toronto to St. Augistine(nice city, by the way...recommend visiting). Wait a second. There is one place. The last place. _Twenty years. Twenty years..._well duh! Wy didn't I think of this before? Oh yeah, because I'm an idiot.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid," I muttered as I changed direction. Hope was all I had left, because I had allowed everything else to get away from me.

**AN: If you know where Max is going, send a review saying I KNOW WHERE MAX IS!**


	34. Twenty Years, Well Sort of

**AN: Sheesh everyone's hating on Fang. He can't be the ONLY person who's screwed up like this. Sometimes...things just get out of control, you know? Keep that in mind when you're reading this chapter.**

**Disclaimer: -.-**

**Warning: Passage of time may be unclear at some parts.**

Chapter 34- Twenty Years, Well Sort of

Max POV

This was it. Five days later I had finally made it to where he promised we would meet. This would either make it or break it with Fang. If he shows up, I'll forgive him. If not...I'd rather not think about what would happen to me then. I sat on the very edge with my latest meal(Taco Bell) and waited. Soon, I finished off the last taco. Hours turned into a day. Okay. I was fine with that. A day turned into a week. Alright, so he was running late. A week turned into several. Now there was a problem. But I was NOT moving from this spot, except for meal breaks. Each time the sun went down, another mark went up on the cave wall. And I built more of my temporary home. Now it was a small tent with some of the basics. I only went into the city nearby when I absolutely had to, then came straight back here to wait some more. Waiting puls Max usually equals someone getting hurt due to insanity of boredom, but this was for Fang. I could wait for him. I could wait for as long as it took.

"Where are you, Fang?" I had been waiting almost a month now.

Fang POV

Stupid storm! Stupid, stupid, stupid! I was now in the middle of nowhere way out in a Russian blizzard. Yes, I'm in Russia. Let me explain myself a minute. Three and a half weeks ago, I was off to find Max. But, once I hit Michigan, there was a huge storm that came out of nowhere. It blew me so off course that I was forced to head in the opposite direction. Things got worse from there. I almost got run down by two planes, ripped up by a helicoptor, and attacked by Erasers three times. That was just in a week. When I woke up, I was in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, clinging onto a plank of wood. Then...I was kidnapped. Great. I was held there for three days. At least I got the chance to heal. Food? Yeah right. I lived off of ice chips and splintered wood, slowly starving to death. I just managed to escape with my life. And, now I'm in Russia. Pretty exciting story, right?

"How am I going to get out of here?" I mumbled, staring hazily at the swirling flakes that were my enemy. Forget the white coats, this was pure torture. I continued shuffling forward. Hours ago I had stopped feeling anything below my ankles. The numbness was slowly spreading. But I had to keep going...I had to get to Max, before I lose her forever.

"Just...hang in there...Max," I whispered. Everything was beginning to fade away. So close...to the border. I had to get out of this insane country. I could see the gate and gaurds. But could the see me?

"Help," I croaked. I never called for help unless it was absolutely necessary. This was one of those times. Nobody heard me, and I continued sinking downward out of coldness and into warmth.

Max POV

"Fang." I kept saying his name over and over in hopes that he might get here _eventually_. Every time I closed my eyes I could see his face, and that almost grin that only I was able to see. When was he going to be here to save me from myself?

Iggy POV

"Hey," Gazzy said as he came up to me. "Max isn't coming back, you know."

"How would you know such a thing?" I whispered harshly. The others were asleep.

"It's been weeks. There's no way she-"

"Listen here. If Fang is able to come back here after weeks and weeks of being gone, Max can do the same."

"Right. I just...I just don't know when to stop hoping and when to start accepting that she isn't coming back."

"The only reason Max wouldn't be coming back at all is because she's dead. And I don't think she's dead, Gazzy."

Fang POV

I woke up in a warm bed. A couple of kind Russians were tending to my frostbite injuries. The male spoke English. He explained that I had been out of it for the past three days, and they had been very worried. They didn't seem too concerned about my wings. In fact, they didn't even mention them at all. Huh. How nice. Being accepted has a strange feeling. I decided to relax and allow myself to be taken care of. For Max. I just hope she hasn't given up on me.

"You be fine in a day now. Just lie back and rest. Soup be ready soon." I nodded and laid back against the pillows.

Max POV

I called my mom and decided to give her an update, but thought it was best to leave out the fact that Fang had disappeared off the face of the earth. She didn't need to know about that. It was my problem, not hers.

"Hey, Mom..."

"Oh, Max! I'm so glad to hear from you! Have you-"

"No, I'm in Lake Mead right now. I'm waiting for Fang to show up." So much for keeping my mouth shut.

"I see. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Mom. Tell the others that I said hi...and that I miss them."

"Will do. Come home soon, please. Everyone misses you more than you know." I hung up, somehow feeling worse than before. That seemed to happen a lot. I rolled over and just decided to get some sleep. Maybe he'll be here tomorrow.

Dylan POV(nope he's not dead, just AWOL)

"Did you see that?" Anya asked me, pointing up at the sky.

"What?" I followed her finger and could clearly see Fang up there, flying overhead. "Oh, that's Fang. Huh. Wonder what he was doing out in Europe."

"We should go visit the flock," Anya said unexpectedly.

"Really? They hate us."

"Well, I'm kind of bored with France. I want something to do."

"You've got a point there. Maybe Fang is off to see Max. I'd like to see how she's doing." It had taken me a while to get over my old feelings for Max, so now I just thought of her as a really good friend, or a sister.

Nudge POV

"I'm bored!" I declared. We had been in school for a long time now. I really missed Max...but decided not to mention it because it just makes everyone all sad.

"Me too," Gazzy said dully, switching through TV channels so fast that it was beginning to annoy Ella.

"Why don't we go out the the bowling alley?" Dr. Martinez suggested. "Kids thirteen and under get in free. I would only have to pay for Ella and Iggy. Be ready in half an hour." She went into her room and closed the door.

"Come on, what are you waiting for?" I declared. "This is a great opportunity to forget about everything that's bothering us!"

"Oh why not?" Iggy said with a slight shrug. "Anything to get out of the house this weekend."

Fang POV

"Max..." I really, really wanted to get there now, but I just didn't have the energy anymore. So, I crawled up into a tree and fell asleep. I'd get there by tomorrow for sure. Hang in there a little longer, Max. I promise that I'll get there and fix everything.

The second I woke up, I got some breakfast at McDonald's and ate on the way, making sure that I had gotten Max's favorite order: two McMuffins and five McGriddles with two orders of orange juice. Sounds like a lot, but it's really not. Max wasn't a morning person so she didn't eat quite as much in the mornings as everyone else did. But that didn't mean she wasn't hungry at all. Yup, the life of an Avian American was just great. Almost there...I could see Lake Mead from here. Though why someone would name a lake after an ancient alcoholic drink is beyond me. I didn't go to school, remember?

Max POV

I was just waking up and thinking about where to get breakfast when I sensed another presence on the cliff. I crawled out of my tent, changed and ready for the day, but didn't see anyone nearby. A McDonald's bag sat on the ground. Huh. That's odd. I looked through it and saw my favorite McDonald's breakfast. That is even more odd. Too hungry to care where this came from, I scarfed down the fast food. Ten minutes later, I was full and able to think. _Hmm. There is no way the clouds can just suddenly drop down bags of fast food like this. Someone is here._

"Hello?" I called. Silence. Figures. I ventured into the cave. It was empty. Well, that's predictable.

"Hi." I spun around and saw Fang standing there, looking all casual. I tried to remain my calm and collected self.

"Well, it's about time," I said.

"I'm sorry. I'm a complete idiot. I'll understand if you never forgive me."

"Oh, I'm forgiving you. Just let me do this first..." I kicked him where it counts. Fang groaned and crumpled to the ground. I had caught him off gaurd and he didn't bother fighting back.

"I deserved that," he managed to say after a painful silence. Well, painful for him anyway. I pulled him to his feet.

"Let's just go home, okay? I'm sure the others will be thinking we're dead at this point, especially you."

"So...what does this mean for us, then?" Fang asked as I packed up the tent to leave in the streets somewhere.

"What say you and I start over?" He stared at me in shock. "We need a clean slate when we get back. It will be less stressful on you, on me, and most importantly, the flock. They don't need to see anymore drama between us."

"So, twenty years. We could never have done that, could we?"

"Nope. We couldn't even do one. What do you think that says about us?"

"That we were made for one another no matter what happens."

**AN: There will be an epilogue, don't worry! This story is reaching its conclusion rather quickly, so let me just say thank you for making this my second most reviewed story. 54 reviews is pretty impressive, considering the number of times I abandoned you guys for weeks at a time. But you can't rush a good story. I have learned that the hard way...**


	35. Epilogue

**AN: And we are back with the epilogue! Yay! Max and Fang have reunited at last...**

Chapter 35- Epilogue: TwoYears Later

Max/Fang/Iggy- 19

Nudge- 15

Gazzy- 12

Angel- 10

Ella- 16

Dr M- haha you're funny...you actually thought I was going to tell you

Dylan- 19

Anya- 19

So, it's two years later. Max and Fang have their own house. Ella and Iggy live on their own next door. Nudge, Gazzy, and Angel still live with Dr. Martinez. Dylan and Anya occassionally visit everyone, but aren't heard from all that often. Everyone lives within a five mile radius of Dr. Martinez so they can visit her whenever they want. Nudge, Gazzy, Angel, and Ella all go to school. The rest...well you can figure it out in the chapter. Let me know if you want a sequel!

**Line break**

"Max?"

"What, Fang?" I muttered.

"Did Jeb ever mention if we could reproduce?" I shrugged and rolled over, hoping to get some more sleep. Fang tapped my shoulder again to get my attention. Okay, sleep can wait until later.

"Why do you ask? It doesn't make any difference."

"Doesn't make...any difference?" Fang said quietly, trying the words out. I rolled my eyes and went to go get dressed. Since Fang and I never learned how to make a meal without poisoning ourselves, we relied on my mom's cooking. Not that my mom minded. She loved having us over.

"Max, I want to know if it is possible for us to have kids so that if we're...you know...at least there'll be the possibility of making a family in mind."

"Fang, I don't want to think about this at seven in the morning. Let's just go to my mom's house and have breakfast."

.**Line break...it is hard to write this scene on an empty stomach :P**

"Breakfast ready yet?" I asked, going into the kitchen of my mom's house. Iggy was already scarfing down his plateful of food at the dining room table off to the side.

"Yes, Max," my mom said. "Pancakes, bacon, scrambled eggs...the whole works. I need to get to work, so help yourself. Don't forget to pick up Angel and Gazzy from school." She hugged me ever so briefly. "I'll call you at around lunch time. I might be back late, though. See you." I served myself some food.

"Smells good," Fang commented, appearing out of nowhere. For once, I didn't jump out of my skin at his unnannounced arrival.

"Have some, then," I said. I shoved a piece of bacon in his mouth to get him to shut up. Not that that was a hard thing to accomplish. Nudge, on the other hand...I smiled and sat down next to Iggy with my food. There was a silence as Fang and I not so politely ate our food like starving children. Some things never changed. I went to go get seconds.

"So, what did Nudge want to show you?" I asked casually, dumping ketchup all over my hashbrowns.

"It's nothing," Fang assured me. I didn't think anything of it for the remainder of the day. Then came the time to pick up Gazzy and Angel. Ella and Iggy would already be over at my mom's house. Dylan and Anya wouldn't be heard from until next Christmas. How long was that, nine, ten months from now? Not that it mattered, really. So, we arrived at the elementry school, both of us being careful to hide our wings. This school was combined into an elementry and middle school, so it was kindergarten through eighth grade. Angel was in the seventh grade, because she was so smart, and Gazzy was in sixth grade.

"Hey guys!" I smiled as they came up to us. Fang held me close, close enough for me to be able to smell him.

"Max, I got the part in the school play!" Angel announced happily. "I'm going to be the little redhead girl in _Annie_! I get to play Annie!"

"That's great, sweetie." I was so happy that everyone got the chance to be normal now that the world was safe.

**Line break**

Later, when we had made our return, I recieved a call from Mom as promised, just not at lunch time. I briefly wondered if anything was wrong before answering the phone.

"Hey, Mom. What's up?"

"I'm sorry, Max. Things just aren't working out today. I'm bogged down with overtime, all this paperwork has to get done. You can handle yourself, right?"

"You know me...I've handled myself for fourteen years before I met you. Two of them all on my own." Mom sighed.

"I know. Don't let Gazzy blow up the house. Make sure Angel-"

"Mom. I've raised Angel from diapers. I'll be _fine_." Sheesh, what was with her?

"I'm just...worried." No duh, I wanted to say, but kept my mouth shut. "I just feel like...things are too safe right now."

"I feel like that all the time. It's normal with a life like ours. But I promise you that everything is going to be fine."

"Okay. I'll try to believe you. I'll call and check in about an hour from now just in case, because you never know when that might change."

"I don't blame you."

**Line break**

Days always passed in this kind of fashion. Just so peaceful and happily, like the ending of a fairytale. Fang and I sat on the rooftop, not saying anything, holding hands and watching the world around us. Angel chased Iggy around while the Gasman kept mimicing Ella's voice to distract him.

"Two years," Fang said quietly. "It's been that long, huh?"

"Or that short," I corrected him. "And it's been, what, three and a half years since your letter?"

"That doesn't matter any more."

"Then why do I still-" Fang jammed his lips at mine, silencing me at once. Suddenly, the letter didn't matter. Or the flock. Or my mom. Whoops. All coherent thought slid out of my brain too. I closed my eyes, enjoying a little slice of heaven. Then he spoke.

"I want us to have children."

**Line break- ending it here would be rather cruel, don't you think?**

"What?" I said oh so intelligently.

"You heard me." His onyx eyes bored into me. "Do you want to have kids as much as I do?"

"W-Well, I've never thought of myself as a mom," I confessed. "Just a leader, for so long now."

"Iggy, Nudge, and I don't need to be looked after. Gazzy, well you know him, the little trooper. And look at Angel. Ten years old, and already in the seventh grade. She's not a baby anymore. Soon, everyone will be out on their own." Just thinking of that made my eyes well up with tears. So, I shoved the thought away as soon as it had come. _This is the hardest part of being a parent...no a leader! A leader!_

"Are we able to have children, though?"

"It hasn't been found out for certain yet, but we can try. Would you want to try?" I looked over at him. Angel and Gazzy's shrieks of laughter faintly rose up around me. Children. I sometimes think of them as my children. But what about actually _having _one? With Fang, that didn't seem like such a bad idea. He was my soulmate, and always would be. He'd be there for me always now. I am certain of that. Everyone made their mistakes. I just needed to learn to get past the ones he's made in order to move forward. He and I have done a lot of growing up since the day Angel got kidnapped by Erasers five years ago.

"Of course I do," I replied with a smile, leaning against Fang's shoulder. "Why wouldn't I?"

"Just don't start forcing them to live off of your cooking." I smacked him playfully on the arm. Some things never changed. He grinned at me, and the sudden brightness of his one hundred watt smile startled me. But somehow it felt right. Just like the idea of being a mother. I couldn't explain it. And just then, it didn't matter how many minutes there were in twenty years. It didn't matter that Fang had left me...twice. It just didn't. All that mattered were these moments, right here, in my soulmate's arms, watching the children play as time continued to pass in its mysterious fashion.

**AN: THE END. *cries***

**So...yes or no on the sequel? Let me know in a review and I'll have a decision made by the time the rest of my stories are completed. Fly on, readers.**


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